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three miles, and furnished with 2,520 hooks. An anchor and a buoy fixed at the first end of the line, and the same at the end of each man's lines; in all, four anchors, which are commonly perforated stones, and four buoys made of leather or cork. The line is always stretched across the current. The tides of flood and ebb continue an equal time upon our coast, and when undisturbed by winds, run each way about six hours. They are so rapid, that the fishermen can only shoot and haul their lines at the turn of the tide; therefore the lines always remain upon the ground about six hours. As the same rapidity of tide prevents their using hand-lines, two of the people commonly wrap themselves in the sail and sleep, while the other keeps a vigilant watch for fear of being run down by ships, and to observe the weather; for storms often rise so suddenly, that it is with extreme difficulty they escape to the shore, often leaving their nets behind.

"The Five-Men Boats take two Cobles on board, and when they come upon the fishing ground, anchor the boat, throw out the cobles, and fish in the above manner, with this difference only, that here each man is provided with the double quantity of lines; thus hauling one set, and shooting another every turn of tide."

These boats generally take great quantities of cod and ling, which in the months of July and August are salted for exportation. Many of them are under contract with a merchant in London, who agrees for the whole of their Summer's produce. The other boats, not under contract, sell their cod and ling to the fishmongers here, at the average price of twelve shillings and sixpence per score. The holibuts, turbots, skates, &c. are sold by wholesale to the Fish-women, who retail them to the inhabitants, or to the Fish-carriers to be conveyed into the country. The Five-Men Boats, during the winter, do not go to sea; but, at the beginning of Lent, they fit out for the fishery on the edge of the

Dogger. In the month of September they go to Yarmouth, where they are employed, until the latter end of November, in the Herring-Fishery.

The Cobles do not go so far to seat as the large boats, nevertheless they take great quantities of the different kinds of fish; and, between the month of December and the beginning of February, frequently meet with abundance of haddocks. On the tenth of December 1766, and about the same time the year following, an immense shoal of haddocks came upon our coast, and continued in roe (that is, in full perfection) until the middle of February. This shoal extended from the shore about three miles in breadth, and in length from Flamborough-Head, to TynemouthCastle, or perhaps much farther northward. The fishermen loaded their cobles with them twice a-day, within the distance of a mile from the harbour of Scarborough, bringing each time nearly a ton of fish. The number of cobles thus employed brought in such quantities, that the market was quite glutted. The poor people bought the smaller sort at a penny, and sometimes a halfpenny per score, and the quantity was too great to be vended, which obliged the fishermen to lay up their cobles for some time. At the distance of three miles from the shore, they met with nothing but Dog-fish in immense quantities, which had followed the shoal of haddocks. At this period, the distresses

* The Coble is twenty-six feet long and five broad, the floor is wide, and the bottom nearly flat, with a stem remarkably sharp. The burthen is about one ton, and it carries three men, who row with each a pair of short oars: a mast is occasionally stepped,' with a lug-sail.

† In the summer they go to the inner edge of the scarr, to the distance of three or four miles.

The migration of haddocks is frequent, and the return at this season of late years not so regular.

*

of the poor were so great in the internal part of the kingdom, from the scarcity and dearness of provisions, that dangerous insurrections were excited, and many families were perishing for want of food.

The Fish-market at Scarborough is upon the sands, near the harbour. In a plentiful season there is a great variety, viz. cod, ling, holibut, turbot, skate, codlings, haddocks, whitings, herrings, dabs, plaise, soles, gurnards, coal-fish, lobsters, and crabs..

Beside these, the coast is frequented by the following species: the fishing-frog, the sea-wolf, the two kinds of dragonet, the pollack, the doree, and the wrasse or old wife-fish. Of the last, a variety peculiar to this coast is noticed by Mr. Pennant, in his Zoology, under the name of Ballan. The Opah or King-fish, is very rare.

A large and beautiful Opah was found dead upon the sea-shore to the northward of Whitby in the year 1807, and exhibited as a curiosity at Scarborough and in the vicinity. Another was also taken at the entrance of Bridlingtonharbour, 5th September 1809. The length three feet two inches, the circumference three feet nine inches, and the weight fifty-six pounds.

A Sword-fish was, likewise, caught at Filey in September 1808; the length eleven feet, and the weight upward of twenty-three stone. The fishermen had a strong contest with this fish, and it pierced the bottom of the boat with it's beak, before it was killed.

SECTION THIRD.

POOR, AND PAROCHIAL ASSESSMENTS.

In most places of extensive population, where there is a deficiency of employment for the lower classes of the inhabitants, a considerable proportion will be compelled by necessity to seek relief from the parish. The Poor in Scarborough are very numerous *, and it is painful to a sensible mind to see those multiplied objects of distress. The rapid advance of the parochial assessments demands the deepest consideration of the inhabitants, and some judicious plan, which has humanity and industry for it's basis, ought speedily to be adopted.

* The number of persons in the Poor-house is 70, and the number relieved out of the house is 240, who are allowed weekly from 9d. to ls. 3d. each.

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The following Table of the annual amount of the Assessments for the Poor will give some idea of the progressional increase.

Years. Ann. Amount.Years | Ann. Amount.

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d.

Years. Ann. Amount. t. S. d. 21796 1078 4 11 4 1797 1213 9 10 01798 1270 15 0

9 1799 1422 5 1 91800 2031 6 3 21801 2737 12 1 91802 1724 11 3 51803 1825 17 3 0 1804 1477 11 1 518051572 7 6 71806 1574 0 11 918071730 10 4 4 1808 1579-18 21809 1754 11 0 2 1810 1486. 9 5

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CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.

THERE is no deficiency of attention to the miseries of the lower order of the community in Scarborough; and an unfeeling avarice is very far from being a general trait of the

+ The amount of the intermediate years from 1728 to 1773 could not be ascertained.

The assessments are levied at 2d. in the pound on land and houses, and as there are now, generally, twenty assessments annually collected, the rate is, in fact, 3s. 4d. in the pound. The ship-owners pay a voluntary tax for their property in shipping. The stock in trade is exonerated.

Annual Land-tax redeemed, 123, 14s, 5d, Unredeemed, 951. 76, 76.

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