Page:Exploits of Wise Willie and Witty Eppie, the ale-wife, of Buckhaven (1).pdf/4

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"ye binna de like to me." An article of good neighbourhood they had, whoever was firſt up in a good morning was to raiſe all the reſt to go to ſea; but if a very bad morning, piſs and go to bed again till break of day, then raiſe Wife Willy, who could judge of the weather by the blawing of the wind-Their freedoms were, To take all ſorts of fiſh contained in their Tickets, viz Lobſters, partons, pedlies, ſpout-fiſh, ſea-cats, ſea-dogs, flucks, piles, dick-pedocks, and p-fiſh.

AGAIN, theſe people are ſaid to have deſcended from one Tom and his two ſons, who were fiſhers on the coaſt of Norway, who, in a violent ſtorm, were blown river and got aſhore at Buck-harbour, where they ſettled; and the whole of his children were called Thom-ſons, and ſoon become a little town by themſelves as few of any other name dwelt among them. This is a traditional ſtory, handed down from one generation to another.- They kept but little communication with country. people about them, for a farmer, in thoſe days, thought his daughter call away, if the married one of the fiſhers in Bucky. harbour; and, on the other hand, Witty Eppie, the ale wife, wada ſworn, Bego, laddie, I was rather ſee my boat an a' my three ſons dadet againſt the Baſs, or I ſaw ony ane o' them married to a muck-a-byre's daughter; a whin uſeleſs tappies, it can do naething but rive at a tow rick, and cut a corn; they can neither bait a hook nor rade a line, houk ſand-eels, nor gather pirriwinkels.