Page:Exploits of wise Willie and witty Eppie, the ale-wife, of Buckhaven (2).pdf/4

 4                      of Arms was two hands gripping each other over a Scate's rumple. Their oath was, "I wish that de De'il may tak me,                      an I binna an honest man to you, an 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 Wise Willy, who could judge of the weather by the blawing of the wind.--Their free- doms were, To take all sorts of fish con- tained in their Tickets, viz., Lobsters, partons, podlies, spout-fish, sea-cats, sea-dogs, flucks, pikes, dick-podocks, 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 over, and got ashore at Buck- harbour, where they settled; and the whole of his children were called Thom- sons, and soon became 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 com- munication with country people about them, for a farmer, in those days, thought his daughter cast away, if she married