465. Does he keep a shop at Lebidden?-Yes, for the fishermen; and to sell to other people as well.
466. You engage to fish to him: is that for the summer fishing?- Yes, chiefly; or for the whole season, if we can follow it up.
467. Do you go to the Faroe fishing for him?-No; only to the ling fishing, in the six-oared boats.
468. What have you come here to say?-Chiefly, that we should like to have our freedom. We have freedom at present; but we are afraid of young Mr. Bruce taking the tack of the tenants into his own hands. He got a lease of the tenants from his father last season.
469. What did he get a lease of?-Of his father's premises at Cunningsburgh.
470. Then he got a lease of the whole lands of Cunningsburgh?- Yes, from his father. That was his statement the last time we settled with him.
471. What did he say then?-He said he was prepared to settle with the tenants, because he had got a lease from his father of the lands.
472. But you say you have your freedom?-Yes, at present; but we are doubtful if we can keep it, because young Mr. Bruce has taken the tenants at the place where he is living himself-at Dunrossness. He took the tenants there some three or four years ago, and he has built a house; and both we and the merchant are doubtful that he may take us into his own hand too. We rather think we might be worse off if we were taken back.
473. What do you mean by being taken back?-I mean, if the tenants were taken into his own hands again.
474. Have you any objection to the arrangement you have just now with Mr. Thomas Tulloch?-We cannot complain of it, further than that we don't know the price we are to get until we settle. We never had any chance of knowing that from any merchant we ever dealt with.