Volume 3 - Electric Scotland

344 FOOD OF THE HWiHLANDS.
and thus, therefore, furnishing light as well as food. The
herring may be considered the next in point of value
and, after that, the cod might be rendered so, if it were
the fashion, as it is not, to catch it for domestic use. But
this subject would require more space than I can afford
to give it here. If the Board of Fisheries would extend
their activity and their patriotism, there is here abundant
occupation for these virtues. Unluckily, the pursuits of
foreign commerce among our politicians, absorb every
thing; and it seems to be forgotten, that the commerce
which is domestic, is often the most advantageous of the
two, and that there are other modes of enriching and im-
proving a people, than that of selling for money that they
may buy again.
As we are on the subject of fish, you must allow me
to correct a numerical error which has crept into the
account of the capture of herrings in 1819, when speaking
on that matter in the description of Tanera. It arose
from having made use of an incomplete manuscript
document; but the error does not affect the general
argument there drawn from the statement. The capture
and salting of 1819, was 340,894 barrels ; leaving
113,732 for home consumption, instead of 108,500. The
last returns now enable me to add, that the number of
herrings taken and cured in 1820, amounted to 382,491
and that in 1821, 1822, and 1823, the quantities were
respectively 442,195 ; 316,524; and 428,869; forming
a progressive diminution in the two last seasons. The
exportation for these four years are also as follows; in
1820, 253,516; and in the following three, respectively,
294,805; 214,956; and 170,445. You perceive that
it is sometimes useful to make blunders ; you would not
else have gained this additional information.
With respect to the fresh waters, the salmon is, of
course, property ;
and the rivers are let to proper tenants,
;