Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/17

Rh climbing up a rope into the boat—'breestin' the boat'—the bannock was broken. The wind was quite favourable when the boat set sail, but in a short time a heavy breeze came down, and home was reached after the greatest difficulty."

"On another occasion," said he, "we got a piece of twine with three knots upon it. One knot was to be loosed when the sail was hoisted. The second was to be loosed after a time to freshen the wind. All went well for a time, but after a little it fell 'breath-calm.' The third knot was loosed, but hardly was this done when a storm burst upon us, and we hardly escaped with the life."

A fisherman of Banff was at one time in Invergordon. When there, he showed some kindness to a woman by giving her fish. When the boat was about to return, the woman presented herself, and gave the fishermen a bottle with strict orders not to uncork it till they reached harbour at home. Curiosity, however, overcame all fears, and the boat had not half accomplished the voyage when the bottle was unstopped. In the course of a short time a breeze burst upon the boat, and it was with the utmost difficulty land was reached. (Told by J. R., Rosehearty.)

When the tide is running on the parts of the sea between the shallows and the deeps there is commonly a good deal of swell, and, if the weather is in the least rough, great care must be taken in passing through this swell. It is called "the tripple o' tide." (Pittulie.)

When the tide is lowest it is called "slack tide" (Findochty), and the point of time is called "the slack o' the tide."

At Portessie the fisher folks do not begin any piece of work, such as barking nets, baiting lines, &c., except when the tide is "flouwin." As my informant said to me, "I pit on the barkin pan fin the tide begins t' flouw."

Hens must be set when the tide is flowing. The chickens are stronger, and thrive better. (Buckie.)