When we came to inquire into the particulars of this, we found
that these were officers placed on the shore by the justices and
magistrates of the towns about, who were ordered to prevent the country
farmers buying the mackerel to dung their land with them, which was
thought to be dangerous as to infection. In short, such was the plenty
of fish that year that the mackerel, the finest and largest I ever saw,
were sold at the seaside a hundred for a penny.

From Bridport (a town in which we see nothing remarkable) we came to
Lyme, the town particularly made famous by the landing of the Duke of
Monmouth and his unfortunate troops in the time of King James II., of
which I need say nothing, the history of it being so recent in the memory
of so many living.

This is a town of good figure, and has in it several eminent merchants
who carry on a considerable trade to France, Spain, Newfoundland, and the
Straits; and though they have neither creek or bay, road or river, they
have a good harbour, but it is such a one as is not in all Britain
besides, if there is such a one in any part of the world.

It is a massy pile of building, consisting of high and thick walls of
stone, raised at first with all the methods that skill and art could
devise, but maintained now with very little difficulty. The walls are
raised in the main sea at a good distance from the shore; it consists of
one main and solid wall of stone, large enough for carts and carriages to
pass on the top, and to admit houses and warehouses to be built on it, so
that it is broad as a street. Opposite to this, but farther into the
sea, is another wall of the same workmanship, which crosses the end of
the first wall and comes about with a tail parallel to the first wall.

Between the point of the first or main wall is the entrance into the
port, and the second or opposite wall, breaking the violence of the sea
from the entrance, the ships go into the basin as into a pier or harbour,
and ride there as secure as in a millpond or as in a wet dock.

The townspeople have the benefit of this wonderful harbour, and it is
carefully kept in repair, as indeed it behoves them to do; but they could
give me nothing of the history of it, nor do they, as I could perceive,
know anything of the original of it, or who built it. It was lately
almost beaten down by a storm, but is repaired again.

This work is called the Cobb. The Custom House officers have a lodge and
warehouse upon