This probably refers to a fishing boat called a HERRING BUS. In the late 18th the government introduced a system designed to encourage the fishing industry in Scotland. The boats attracting these subsidies were called HEARING BUSSES. I would guess my source for the above would be : A History of the Scottish People, 1560-1830 by T.C. Smout but I don't have it to hand to check it at present. Regards, Sandy in Dumfries PS (As an aside, today this practice of encouraging the expansion of the Scottish fishing industry appears to have gone into reverse. Skipper who wish to fish are having their days at sea restricted and others are being encouraged to scrap their fishing boats all together. But maybe that is the only way to stop over-fishing and allow stocks to recover??)