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beginning as coopers and fishermen, have America and others having been put into other raised themselves to the station of curers, build- lots. The people of Oldshores and Keanloching excellent houses and curing-yards, while bervie, however, have of late caught cod and their fathers and brothers have carried their ling for some Billingsgate salesmen and two cultivation up to the top of the lower range of native curers. At Scowrie and in Assynt, in hills. Portskerra on the north coast, and Ar- the latter especially, the people are crowded: madale, can now show a regular set of fisher- some fish, and others fish not at all. The men, who have also done much to their land; but herrings, unfortunately, have left them, and the the early herring-fishing having failed, they demand for their white fish has not as yet been are driven to the autumn herring-fishing at sufficient. The activity and judgment of the Wick, which is less advantageous to them. local factor, Mr. Stewart, was directed to meet They are, therefore, less prosperous. Kirk- this, when his useful career was suddenly artomie and Farr afford fewer good seamen than rested by death more than two years ago, to the other two stations. The population of Stra- the equal loss of landlord and tenant. thy is large and very poor; some have boats Where the lots are large, with considerable but many hire themselves to boats and go to cattle-grazings, the people do not take readily the fishing. The early herring-fishery has to the sea; having the land to fall back upon, failed at Tongue for some years, and some of there is not much suffering among them-but the boats go to Wick, whilst others have an they never become independent. Where the antumn-fishing of their own, as they have at lots are small, if the holders of the land take to Kirktomie and Armadale. There are few ex- the sea, they become excellent fishermen, and cept the Portskerra and Armadale men who enjoy great comparative comfort, as in Armago to the cod and ling fishing, though there is dale, Portskerra, and part of Assynt: if they do not take to the sea, they suffer much, as in Farr, Strathy, and, occasionally, in parts of Assynt; but they obtain a good deal of money notwithstanding. The absence of a market is the great want, and to that the attention of the managers of the property is now directed.

abundance of both off the coast.

In the vast parish of Durness a gentleman once prosecuted the cod-fishing on an extensive scale, giving employment to the people of Rispond and other places on the north coast, and of Oldshores and Keanlochbervie on the west; but by and by the plan was given up, and considerable distress ensued. On the west the town of Shegra, part of his tenure, had been entirely cleared of people, some having gone to

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This we believe to be a fair unvarnished statement of an experiment full of difficulty, but made absolutely necessary both to the landlord and tenant by the great change of manners consequent upon advanced civilisation. The result appears to have been the utmost success in several districts, a more qualified degree of it in others, and a failure in some. The sub428 letting system is happily now almost extin337 guished in Sutherland: the contrast between the condition of tenants still living under that system and that of those who hold under the 3,828 landlord is most striking.

The Statistical Account of Caithness says that the population of Wick was trebled between 1807 and 1840, and gives the following as the state of the herring-fishery there in the latter year :Native boats

Strange boats

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Other labourers employed about the fishing
Seamen in coasting-vessels, supposed
Fish-curers entered

Total of persons employed

Total of barrels cured

765

265 2,175

46

And here we take our leave of Mr. Loch's Account,' hoping to see it brought down to 127 the present day; for sure we are that it will 150 be a valuable guide-book for landlord and te1,200 nant generally, and in Scotland especially.

91

7,882

We now turn to the useful and agreeable 'Statistical Account of Scotland, No. XXX. ;' and if what has been already advanced want 63,495 corroboration, it is here largely to be found. The same authority says, 'At all seasons of the year This manual contains a fund of valuable local whiskey is drunk in considerable quantities; but during the fishing season enormous potations are indul-information-the whole digested and drawn up ged in. It may seem incredible, but it has been as in a manner most creditable to the parochial certained that during the six weeks of a successful clergy of this remote province and to the factfishing not less than five-hundred gallons a-day were consumed. Let it be remembered, however, ors of its noble proprietor. Nor is it a little that at that period 10,000 strangers, as boatmen, gutters, &c., were crowded into the town of Wick Of late years the people have been more temperate. Snuthing is almost universal among the men, and both it and smoking are very common among the women. About 3.500l. a-year are spent in the parish of Wick on tobacco.'

* We have on various occasions alluded to this important work, which has now for several years been advancing under the enlightened patronage of the Highland Society of Scotland, and will, when completed (as it will soon be), form by far the most valuable repertory of statistics at the command of any country in Europe. In general its superiority

gratifying to mark in it the progress of natural | cragsman has here paid the penalty of his life history within the few last years. The fauna for his daring enterprise. We hope her graand flora, as well as the geology of some of the cious Majesty receives a regular tribute from places, are given: and, but that our space is this isle; for certain it is that they have estab limited, we could not but quote some specimens lished a Queen among them; such at least of really masterly description of external na is the title conferred on the eldest widow; 'and ture. The parish of Edderachillis, with its her prerogative is recognised not only by the Norwegian aspect, intersected with arms of islanders, but by visitors from the mainland.' the sea, and chequered with lakes, rivers, glens, The only thing that we have to regret here is, and ravines, has perhaps as much of the wild that the cod and ling fisheries are not more and the wonderful as any district in the prosecuted. A cluster of about twenty islands lies between Edderachillis and Assynt, with its inland lake haunted, like many other wild Highland lochs, by a strange bear-like figure of an amphibious animal, which in some of the localities is called by the shepherds a waterbull, but in which at least in the Assynt case Dr. Buckland, with his usual felicity in accounting for phenomena, and perspicacity in solving doubts, detected the Ursus mendax.

'Land of the mountain and the flood.'

In this quarter the great Reary forest or Dirumoir has of late been restored by the Duke of Sutherland to its original grandeur. No less than 60,000 acres, half in this parish and half in Durness, give harbour to thousands of the antlered race among which are still to be recognised the Arkill 'deir with forked taills, recorded as inhabitants of the 'Diru-more' by by Sir Robert Gordon. This relieves the whole neighbouring sheep-walks of the greater part of the deer that roamed over them, the maintenance of which was a considerable bur: den.' Agriculture and fishing go hand in hand in Edderachillis: and we would earnestly call the attention of landlords to the simple plate with which the account of this parish is illustrated. It merely consists of a representation of the modern house of the small tenants of the Reay country contrasted with the old habita tion. That is enough, and speaks volumes for what has been done on the Sutherland estates. The modern house breathes of neatness and comfort; the old habitation fills the imagination with such musty proverbs and sayings as The clartier the cosier,' 'It did very well for my father before me, and will do well enough for me; apophthegins involving precisely that species of content that leads to degradation, disease, and beggary. London now knows the Edderachillis lobsters well. The island of Handa, with its myriads of seafowl, and basaltic, Staffa-like character, rising on the north-west side to a height of 600 feet or thereby,' is tenanted by twelve families, who add to their fishing the dreadful trade of fowl ing among its precipices. More than one

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to the former Account' is very decided; indicating
a great expansion of curiosity and information in
the clerical order of the North. Of course, in so
large a collection, there are some poor enough con-
tributions and if we were to remark on any pre-
vailing deficiency, we should point to the historical
and antiquarian departments of the inquiry. But
in most cases the task has been sensibly and sagaci-
ously performed; and in not a few-we may mention
in particular the accounts of Dundee, Greenock,
and Glasgow-the result could hardly be overpraised.
Several parishes of Sutherland are done by the same
hand, a layman, Mr. Sutherland Taylor, Goldspie;
and he is evidently a man of superior talents-we
presume a factor to the Duke.
30

VOL. LXIX.

But delightful as the ground is, we must leave it without entering into the details of the several districts; yet we cannot quit it without giving a picture of the departure and return of the herring-fishers. The scene is off Latheron, in Caithness-shire :—

'The boats used in this parish may contain from 30 to 50 crans or barrels (for both are nearly alike) of herrings; and it is difficult to say which of the sights is most pleasingly interesting to a stranger, that of beholding on a fine evening the whole coast, as far as the eye can barks, as they issue forth from every creek, and reach, covered with human beings in their little disperse in different directions, full of life, or that of attending at one of the stations in the morning, and witnessing the return of 40, 60, or 100 boats, all crowding into one creek, most of them, perhaps, laden with fish to the gunwale, and ceeds and continues till night! And what ought then the scene of bustle and animation that sucnot to be omitted as being still more delightful to a seriously contemplative mind, it is not unusual, where there are boats having individuals of acknowledged piety, for the crew to engage in worOn these occaship after shooting their nets. sions a portion of a psalm is sung, followed with prayer, and the effect is represented as truly soof the Gaelic music, carried along the surface lemn and heart-stirring, as the melodious strains of the waters (several being similarly engaged,) spread throughout the whole fleet.'-New Statistical Account of Scotland, No. xxx., p. 102.

66

Nor can we omit the darker fate of these nurselings of the storm':—

But not unfrequently the scene is sadly reversed, for in the midst of the joys of life we often are in death. A storm suddenly arises during the night. The boats are all riding quietly at their nets and unprepared to meet it. Some endeavour to haul their nets, others cut from them, and make for the place of greatest shelter, whilst others, afraid to put up sail and encounter it, abide by their nets in the hope of the storm's

abating. In proportion to the danger at sea are and tailor migrated from house to house, receivthe confusion and anxiety on land. The shores ing their victuals and a small pittance of wages are instantly crowded by inquiring relatives, hur-in return for their labour. There was scarcely rying from place to place in search of husbands, brothers, or sons. Astonishing instances of preservation often occur; but no season passes without serious losses to individuals, either of boats or nets, and sometimes of lives. The risks are very great, and the employment, even when successful,most trying to the constitution.'-Ibid, p. 102.

We quit this part of the subject with a very satisfactory summing up of the great Sutherland change, and, we believe, just character of the Scotch Highlander:

a cart or a plough in the country, excepting on
the larger farms. No man thought of increas-
ing or improving his tillage or pasture lands by
trenching or draining. But let any one with an
impartial and unprejudiced eye examine the pre-
sent condition of the inhabitants. Their well-
built and neatly-kept cottages and inclosed gar-
dens far exceed what many taksmen in former
days paying from 50l. to 100l. possessed. Every
individual in the family has some resource in a
trade or other manual labour-all is a stirring
scene of industry and positive comfort.
father and the sons cultivate the lot, if not
tradesmen; while the females are engaged with
household work, or preparing nets for the next
herring season.

'Persons who are ignorant of the character of the Highlanders, and many who have never seen the country, have ventured to describe them as indolent, idle, and unprofitable members of the community. A more gross fallacy has never been uttered. They are a quiet, sober, brave, and moral race: attached and confiding while kindly and honestly dealt by; but reserved, stern, and unbending as their mountain rocks, wherever they suspect injustice, or lose faith in the acts and professions of their superiors. The extensive and perfect improvements on the estate of Sutherland bear evidence of their activity, industry, and confidence in their landlord, when their energies are properly directed. Those who reside in the country can testify that it is a rare occurrence to meet with an individual the worse of liquor, except occasionally at markets. The naval and military annals of the nation record their bravery where they have distinguished themselves in many a desperate onset. The faithful labours of our clergy have been blessed by Providence in rendering them pious and moral; and their character may be summed up in these few words,-that they fear God and honour the Queen.'-Ibid., p. 162-164.

There is no district of country in Scotland where such an entire change has taken place in the habits, character, and pursuits of the inhabitants as in this and the other parts of the county forming the estate of Sutherland. They were quite a rural, a moral, and a happy population, inhabiting beautifully romantic and sequestered glens in the interior, far removed from the bustle of the world. Strangers to its allurements and luxuries, they passed their lives, generation following generation, in the same localities, but without ambition to better their circumstances, or a desire to improve their possessions. All passed happily and without care, so long as the seasons proved propitious, and that the produce of their stock was sufficient to pay the landlord and to afford the means of subsistence on their simple fare: but when the winter storms lengthened into spring, and the mildew and the early frosts destroyed the hopes of the harvest, then indeed came the period of distress; and it is not too much to say that they suffered the very extreme of want, which often produced contagious fevers and other mortal diseases. This was submitted to, however, in silence and with pious resignation: no tumults nor risings against the constituted authorities, who, they well knew, could not ward off the general calamity. Thus situated, helpless and without resources, their only course was an appeal to the compassion of their natural protector, the landlord, and this was never done in vain. He required often to import meal equal in value to the rent of two or more years, and generally leaving a large balance never to be reIn 1836 the select committee made covered. This state of things could not conti- their report on the salmon fisheries of nue, whilst the rest of the world were moving Scotland-in as far as related to the ala-head, and making rapid advances in improve- tering the close times in different disment; consequently the great and deeply im- tricts; the laws for the observance of the portant measure was resolved on to remove the population to the coast-side, where they would Saturday's slap or opening in all cruives, be placed near the sea-become fishermen or engines, &c., of whatever description used artificers, and thus be able to benefit by the in salmon-fishing; the construction and many and inexhaustible resources which Pro- regulation of cruives; the regulation of vidence has placed within their reach. At this mill-leads or courses, and the removal of time there were but few bred tradesmen in the dams and obstructions in all rivers, country. When a man found it necessary to streams, or waters. They were also inrenew his rude dwelling, he called the neigh-structed to inquire into the increase or bours to his assistance, and it was only the work of a few days to complete it. Every man was his own carpenter, for few implements were required, and he had little to do with them. One blacksmith served a district. The shoemaker

Hoping we have not dwelt too long on Sutherland, we proceed to another branch of our subject-one, however, in which Sutherland too has its share.

decrease in the numbers and weight of salmon, grilse, and sea-trout taken in the several rivers, &c., of Scotland, since the passing of the act 9 Geo. IV. c. 39.

The committee commence by observ-mittee. This important regulation had ing that the only object of the close from an early period formed part of the season being to afford protection to the Scottish law as to salmon-fishing, but the fish when they are breeding, and during novel modes of fishing, not indeed in rivthe state of exhaustion consequent there-ers themselves, but upon the sea-coast upon, the legal close time ought to be so and near the mouths of rivers, had led to regulated as to coincide, as nearly as the evasion of it, under the impression posible, with the period so defined by na- that it was not strictly or technically apture; and it having been established in plicable to such cases. It appeared quite evidence before them, that in different clear from the evidence given as to the rivers the periods at which the salmon habits of salmon that this regulation was ascend the rivers for the purpose of applicable with equal force to engines spawning and afterwards descend to placed in rivers and in all other situa wards the sea vary considerably, they tions; and therefore the committee express their opinion that it would be strongly recommended that all doubt on advantageous to the general interests of the point should be removed by the legisthe salmon fisheries in Scotland to have lature, and that the observance of the the fence months or close time regulated Saturday's slap should be strictly enjoinaccording to the various circumstances ed in the use of all engines, machines, of the respective rivers or districts, in and devices lawfully used in salmon-fishstead of having one uniform season, as ing, whether in rivers or lakes, or upon was the case when they made their re- the sea-coast. The committee could not port. The witnesses were not all in fa- but see that in particular situations on the vour of this proposal. None of them in- sea-coast and estuaries, especially the deed disputed the facts on which the re- more exposed parts, the stormy state of commendation was founded; but several the weather or roughness of the sea enlarged on the facilities which they ap- might sometimes render it impossible or prehended might thereby be afforded to dangerous to open and re-set nets or poaching. other engines during the hours of the The committee shrewdly remark on weekly close time; they therefore add this point, that although, by the statute 9 that no penalties should be recoverable Geo. IV. c. 29, a uniform season was, for in such cases. The committee of 1825 the first time, applied to the whole of had recommended in their fourth resoluScotland-with the exception of the tion a measure coinciding in principle Tweed and the rivers running into the with that just adverted to; but, as the Solway Firth, which are regulated by committee of 1836 remark, that recomparticular acts of parliament-yet in all mendation, as well as some others made the other parts of the United Kingdom, by the committee of 1825, was not carand especially in Ireland, there are, and ried into effect by the statute 9 Geo. IV. always have been, various seasons suited The committee next advert to the to the different natures of the several riv- great complaints made by the river proers: nevertheless the evils apprehended prietors of the encroachments practised by the objectors to the system proposed by the owners of fixed engines, in staby the committee had not been proved to tioning them within or so close to the result from its adoption in those places. mouths of rivers as materially to prevent The duration of the close seasons ought, the run of fish up the rivers. The eviin their opinion, in no case to be less dence convinced the committee that inthan 139 days, that period being the ex-creased facilities should be given for entent of the close time adopted at the date forcing the law upon this point. of their inquiry. This was a good beginBut the cruives? We are coming_to ning there were, fortunately, on that them, for there lay the villany. The committee some good observers of the committee were led to the conclusion habits of fish, and many practical men, that very extensive abuses prevailed in and the whole body appears to have been the construction and regulation of these convinced of the folly of the old system. engines-abuses attended with serious With their recommendation every physiologist must concur. He who follows nature on such occasions can hardly go

injury to the general interests of the fisheries, and to the proprietors of upper fishings more especially. The committee well remark that the only legitimate obThe Saturday's slap or weekly close time ject in the construction of a cruive is to next engaged the attention of the com- adapt it to the taking of fish above a cer

wrong.

tain size, and to the free run of the Saturday's slap :

'There is no reason to doubt that mill-dams, as at present constructed in numerous salmonrivers, form most serious obstacles to the ascent 'It ought to be so formed that fish of all sizes of the breeding fish, and also occasion the destruccan easily enter it at all times; and that fish tion of vast quantities of the fry. Your comunder a certain size may easily pass through it, mittee are fully alive to the great importance of and ascend the river. It is of the greatest im- the interests which are thus brought into appaportance that fish should enter it with facility, rent conflict with the interests of the salmon because where they cannot do this, the pro- fishery; and they have therefore much satisfac visions in favour of the smaller fish and the tion in reporting their opinion that these may Saturday's slap become inoperative; and the be reconciled, and the evils suffered by the one cruive acts merely as a barrier for detaining the fish in the river immediately below it, where party in a great measure obviated at a trifling they are destroyed by nets or other means. The expense, without subjecting the other to any real injury. Mr. Smith, of Deanston, in the fish are thus effectually prevented from reach-county of Perth, who is connected with extensive ing the upper parts of the river, even although manufacturing establishments employing waterthe Saturday's slap may be in form observed.'power on different rivers, has explained to your Report, p. 5. committee a contrivance called "a salmon stair," which he finds to be perfectly successful in facilitating the passage of salmon over dams, which were previously almost insuperable barriers to them. This device may be applied at a small expense to existing dams; and in the erected, a form and arrangement may be easily original construction of any dam hereafter to be prescribed, and ought to be enjoined, to secure the same beneficial end. On this point the statements of Mr. Smith are amply confirmed by the testimony of Mr. Thom, an eminent engineer, much interested in certain extensive manufacturing concerns driven by water-power.' Report, p. vi.

The committee were justified in stating that this crying abuse prevailed to a very great extent in many of the Scotch rivers where cruives were used. The Deveron and Rapid Spey, in particular, were famous, in the famosus sense of the word, for malfeasances of this description. After adverting to the cases of the Duke of Queensberry v. Marquis of Annandale and Dirom v. Littles (the former decided by the Court of Session in November, 1771, the latter in February, 1797) for the illegality of the use of devices expressly for the obstruction of the ascent of the fish, and to the cases of the Town of Banff v. the Earl of Fife, and of Sir James Grant v. Duke of Gordon, decided in the same court in 1774 and 1777, for the application of that equitable principle to the construction of cruives, the committee, well aware of the glorious uncertainty of the law and its quite certain delay, quietly added,

As, however, the authority of the decisions in the cases above cited, and any similar special cases (in which the principle has been enforced in the construction of the cruives), may be thought to operate as legal precedents only in reference to the rivers to which they severally relate, they strongly recommend that general regulations, founded upon that principle, for the formation and management of cruives, should be framed and made applicable to all rivers on which more than one proprietor has a right of salmon-fishing.'-Report, p. 5.

And they proceed to give sound practical instructions for these legislative regulations.

The subject of mill dams next secured the attention of the committee. They conclude that inuch might be done by the owners of such dams and mill-leads in favour of the fishing interests, without any injury whatever to any manufacturing establishments dependent upon water-power; that mill-leads or courses should be kept shut at all times when the mill is not at work; and the iron grating or fender, so strongly recommended by the committee of 1825, should be used so as to prevent the entry of fish or fry:

Figures of these ingenious devices for helping the fish up are given at the end of the Report: though Mr. Thom's is good, we humbly think Mr. Smith's is better; and we can imagine how interesting it must be to see it with the fish in full action- Such a getting up stairs!

To this same Mr. Smith the committee were

indebted for a hint which might be most satisfactorily applied to our southern rivers, and to none more so than our no-longer silver Thames.

The committee in 1825 reported, as their seventh resolution, "That it is indispensable to guard against the admission into all rivers, streams, estuaries, and lakes, in which salmon exist, of any matter proceeding from manufac tories of any description which is known or deemed to be poisonous or deleterious to fish." Your committee are fully persuaded that this opinion is well-founded; and although it is thought by some that any general and unqualified regulation on the subject might be producin its bearing upon some manufactories of lesser tive of some degree of practical inconvenience extent, yet, with regard to gas-works (the number and magnitude of which are so rapidly increasing), and some other manufactories, they are led to believe that no serious difficulty would prevent the resolution of 1825 from being carried into effect. Mr. Smith, of Deanston, has stated, from his own experience, not only the practicability but the advantage to the owners of the work to be derived from the pro

cess which he details for separating the deleterious matter from the water of gas-works

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