An exceeding good practice here in making their fences is, they plant the
quick on the side of the bank in the common manner, and then, instead of
the dead hedge we use in England on the top of the bank, they plant a row
of old thorns, two or three feet high, which readily grow, and form at
once a most excellent fence. Their way also of taking in sand-banks from
the river deserves notice. They stake down a row of furzes at low water,
laying stones on them to the height of one or two feet; these retain the
mud, which every tide brings in, so as to fill up all within the furze as
high as their tops. I remarked, on the strand, that a few boatloads of
stones laid carelessly had had this effect, for within them I measured
twelve inches deep of rich blue mud left behind them, the same as they
use in manuring, full of shells, and effervesced strongly with vinegar.
Among the poor people the fishermen are in much the best circumstances.
The fishery is considerable; Waterford and its harbour have fifty boats
each, from eight to twelve tons, six men on an average to each, but to
one of six tons five men go. A boat of eight tons costs 40 pounds; one
of twelve, 60 pounds. To each boat there is a train of nets of six pair,
which costs from 4 pounds 4s. to 6 pounds 6s.; tan them with bark. Their
only net fishery is that of herrings, which is commonly carried on by
shares. The division of the fish is, first, one-fourth for the boat; and
then the men and nets divide the rest, the latter reckoned as three men.
They reckon ten maze of herrings an indifferent night's work; when there
is a good take, forty maze have been taken, twenty a good night; the
price per maze from 1s. to 7s., average 5s. Their take in 1775, the
greatest they have known, when they had more than they could dispose of,
and the whole town and country stunk of them, they retailed them
thirty-two for a penny; 1773 and 1774 good years. They barrelled many,
but in general there is an import of Swedish. Besides the common
articles I have registered, the following are: pigeons, 1s. a couple; a
hare, 1s.; partridges, 9d.; turbots, fine ones, 4s. to 10s.; soles a
pair, large, 1s. 6d to 1s.; lobsters, 3d. each; oysters, 6s. per hundred;
rabbits, 1s. to 1s. 4d. a couple; cod, 1s. each, large; salmon, 1.25d. to
2d.
A very extraordinary circumstance I was told--that within five or six
years there has been much hay carried from Waterford to Norway, in the
Norway ships that bring deals. As hay is dear here, it proves a most
backward state of husbandry in that northerly region, since the
neighbourhood of sea-ports to which this hay can alone go is generally
the best improved in all countries.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account