Telegram-herald., 1890-12-07
THE HERRING FISHER
PgEiTI0S. PoEERII AID DANCER
Asz<sa rhssr La~iF FatA-Losa, cs4rt.
sAi2 sla aafrieks AaaaaE tias fse-
Ria "a ths - sstefn
nlzal4aas.


of neI herring fisheries, "a industry
n0~ 2naa4lis proy'1ing for the sosie
socd supply over l,i90.oo0 barrels u
cured herrings, sons secount OF the
ssefy eay he OF ths 90 coo or 10000
psopls sno partially devote thsr lyss
% this one vocation, vii be of interest
- Anlercaa readers tlvs-snsh 0f all
ne narfings taken are landed With1a
the .seyeuteen fishing distrcts OF t1e
east eoast. 1hrse-iourlas 81 these are
taAen on the Aberdeen. b4ut, Elgn.
koss, eulheflan, ttlthness. orkney ana
rnetiard shores, aQd 0f tHs fishermen
and "curels -creas' requisite tor labor
iu tnls imperial domain ol sAe herring.
fully t~o-tnifds come here every slnl-
ulef season from ths nsasr-crofter
hamlets OF tns scottish west coast. from
a. the contiguous cOAst-nlss Islands
norta " tie Null CantyFe. from Syke,
fr0m Harris ana Le~ls. from north aud
south tist, and frOm a. Jhe little ocean
gifdied speeks fringlng tie outer Heb
rides.
After these men and women return 10
thoir western homes. in September, the
crops 0f thetF little croits are 10 be gath
cred. These comprise oats, a bit "
s'ckiy grass for the hav OF the
''oeastles in winter, potatoes and the
universal scotch "kaii' or cabbage.
Then tne women take 60 their knitting
and isnd-.eoms. ana 4 there b. winter
herring FISHING ia the sea-iOchs near
tneir homes, tna - prosecuted by the
men in small open boats Of Is % - feet
keel, az much bodily risk aud under
tOrtarousseyeritieso Il wind and weather.
"a u Z
Tor eOoklng and warmth IS earned aud
kept IN huge iron pots, aud iu sleeping
they tumble down anywhere M their
set-ciothing aud oii-skins and cover
themselves with RAGS or sails. III hkelv
20 remain Tor Lme ou the lOchs, they
Duiid sod huts alOugslOre, matching
them Sith "ofackeu, = coarse fern also
used in thatcninE their homes. III there
D. 40 usniaI. TIE natives have little or
nothing % do from the harvest" until
March and April. when the cutting OF
sea-Ueed Tor manure begins, aud later,
when the annual cutting Of pcats for
fuel - done. Among THESE primitive
people tbe "ughls' OF women % at
least labor were long since beyond gam
saving. have seen The husband lift
halt barrel go pounds upon MS wife's
back and calmly walk home beside her.
work IS done, the husband Will throw
the crooked wooden spade over his
shoulder. and the wife, gathering her
skirts INTO Al ANNIE sack, Will carry,
some times Tor '<les, 10 the croft q
weight Of peat tt luimed ate use under
which Hlghlan, shsite would stsgger.
And my friend. David VI. Rosie,
Fishery Board officer 10 whom am IN
cebted Tor much exact information.
tells mo Of an Incident OF sea-weed
cutting where crOtters wife,
with \ rope tied about her
waist, was lowered over a crag % gather
ses-weed among the slippery, spume-
covered rocks. while her phllOsOphlc
husband, safely ensconced IN q sunny
cleft above, was quietly enjoying his
pipe. But neither the Highland nor
Island crofter must Be judged by our
standards No human beings love their
wives and homes more Loyalty than they.
All iowiy classes following the sea or
the lives Of dsnormen regard the mans
labor done when his vessel 8 anchored
ia port, or his tshing-buss is beached At
the tshiug- hamlet shore; 50 that the
fishing g-crofter and bis spouse are con-
tcntedly ADDITIONALLY correct IN their
adjustment OF labor and duty.
The home OF the western Highland
and Island hsher-crOfter g much IN
ferior % that OF TIE esst-cOast fisherman
or even of the northern Highland
croster. Nearly ali their cabins are
built on = line With ths slope Of brae
or hillside. the rear roof-slnpe forming
an 0btuse angle. The walls are never
more than 8 feet high. ofteaer but 5;
but they are frequently 4 feet thick.
They are bult Of round or rubble stone.
some OF tne walls ara double, with a
LAYER az earth between for additional
warmth. The roof beams rest on the
middle OF the walls. and arc lard at the
same sngie on three aides, with q lesser
angle on the hillside incline. some are
neatly thatchsd with straw. bat many
are covered with bracken or heather.
You can never effect ar entrance 70 one
of these structures through the single
door without pushing aside cow.
sheep. or some manner OF "ocastle,
sheltered in the capacious doorway or
occupying a part Of t1e hut itself,
ueaEcrly parut0ned OF Tor a oyre.
Ca entering you are nearly s1docated
with smoke. The Diace Is dark. There
are two OF three small windows. Often
there are none. small spertures, closed
atuirht. sdmttng such ght and ar
as can nenetrxte. The IRE is seldom
allowed O. 70 out, aud when not blsr-
ing brightly in Use, smokes and
smufras from slight depression
Ia the center OF ths floor. precisely
ss in = SIOUX Indians teeps. Some
Of these fre-u -uisces e they may be 50
cafied. are buflt tn lttIe stone sroughs,
80 TAT slabs of stone surround them.
Immediately sbovs She are, in she cen
ter 81 ths roof. is an aperture IN waich
sseta half-oarrsl. or other devcs 90
answer the place of stove-Dipe or
chimney. The smoke. after leisursiy
ri.zrimsres shout tae cabin, finds rts
chief exit here. The root = black az
rirht from smoke deposits, and here
and thers on the poles q stenlng.
civ substance. from tne moisture IN
ere Snatch and tee acton % toe peat
smoke is forming into n7Y globuies
reaar Cor sror-ins. snd whsteTsr they
fsil anCn IS ,ndei biv s-3lnea' An IRON
cham hanzfr- frnrs tae reef supports the
hnxr round rem pct in Nh'cn tie pota-
toes. tae porridge. and tne SaI-erose
ere cooked UhiIa tae universal Tea pot
I'D nsnnoCkrsu cr E~d1ie s,snd end
less guard beside she ore. one room
usua' II Consnr ses ere Interior. sltnouEa
bedroom. WITH re reef sIsnnng down
81 We very ground. wai cess onai n
- teuud The furn'ture sn ood
iumc.e ef aneenf cax and .ater-la7
tntngs 81 r8rn En-. cloudy de.nn and
rstian china. o.lan fron ard pewter
ar# rnrrr H~-aH ntanx $. trsa n