Dunvegan, Skye, 15 May 1883 - Neil Gillies

NEIL GILLIES, Crofter and Fisherman, Edinbane (45)—examined.

3773. How long have you been on your croft ?
—About thirty years.

3774. Have you been freely elected a delegate ?
—Yes.

3775. Have you heard and understood the statement made by the previous witness?
—Yes.

3776. Do you agree in the main with what has been stated ?
—Yes, in the main.

3777. Have you any additional statement to make?
—I am ready to answer any questions.

3778. Sheriff Nicolson.
—Is Loch Grishornish a good loch for fishing?
—Last year it was very bad. The year before that was little better.

3779. Have all the people boats?
—No, there only four boats in the place that I call boats, but there are some old ones that are not fit for sea, and the new ones are too wee to go to the open sea with; and there are no fish coming into the lochs just now, and we cannot go to the open sea for want of boats.

3880. Where would you go to fish outside ?
—In the Minch.

3781. There is abundance of cod and ling there?
—Yes, if we had the boats and material to go.

3782. Do you think, if good big boats were got for the Edinbane people, the men would work them ?
—I am certain they would go to some other district and fish there,
—to the east coast, and Lewis and Harris. They are able enough to go, if they had boats and materials to go.

3783. Is there any reason why they should not be as good fishers as men on the east coast?
—They are as good, after they are taught and learned by them.

3784. Is there any difficulty in getting bait at Edinbane ?
—Not that I know of. The only bait is herring, and sometimes it is very scarce, for long lines.

3785. Is there any prohibition about the shellfish there?
—Yes, about the oysters.

3586. No prohibition on mussels?
—I do not know. I heard people say that, but I was lifting them, and was never prohibited from lifting them.

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