The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

256 TOBIAS SMOLLETT
fishery cannot be carried on without vessels, casks, salt, lines, nets,
and other tackle. I conversed with a sensible man of this country,
who, from a real spirit of patriotism, had set up a fishery on the
coast, and a manufacture of coarse linen, for the employment of
the poor Highlanders. Cod is here in such plenty, that he told me
he had seen seven hundred taken on one line, at one hawl—It must
be observed, however, that the line was of immense length, and
had two thousand hooks, baited with muscles; but the fish was so
superior to the cod caught on the banks of Newfoundland, that his
correspondent at Lisbon sold them immediately at his own price,
although Lent was just over when they arrived, and the people
might be supposed quite cloyed with this kind of diet—His linen
manufacture was likewise in a prosperous way, when the late war
intervening, all his best hands were pressed into the service.
It cannot be expected, that the gentlemen of this country should
execute commercial schemes to render their vassals independent;
nor, indeed, are such schemes suited to their way of life and inclina-
tion; but a company of merchants might, with proper manage-
ment, turn to good account a fishery established in this part of
Scotland—Our people have a strange itch to colonize America,
when the uncultivated parts of our own island might be settled to
greater advantage.
After having rambled through the mountains and glens of
Argyle, we visited the adjacent islands of Ila, Jura, Mull, and
Icolmkill. In the first we saw the remains of a castle, built in a lake,
where Macdonald, lord or king of the isles, formerly resided. Jura
is famous for having given birth to one Mackcrain, who lived one
hundred and eighty years in one house, and died in the reign of
Charles the Second. Mull affords several bays, where there is safe
anchorage; in one of which, the Florida, a ship of the Spanish
Armada, was blown up by one of Mr. Smollett’s ancestors—About
forty years ago, John duke of Argyle is said to have consulted the
Spanish registers, by which it appeared, that this ship had the
military chest on board—He employed experienced divers to
examine the wreck; and they found the hull of the vessel still
entire, but so covered with sand, that they could not make their
way between decks; however, they picked up several pieces of
plate, that were scattered about in the bay, and a couple of fine
brass cannon.
Icolmkill, or Iona, is a small island which St. Columba chose for