FISHERIES AND SEAL-HUNTING. 39 



soon separate. Paring this time, one of the nets is cast, and the boats 

 keep in the same place till the whole net is in the water ; then the oars 

 are again put in motion, dragging the net a certain distance, when the 

 two boats again unite. The wings are tben drawn into the boats, the 

 bag is detached from them, tied up like a purse, and left in the water 

 till the second net has likewise been cast and drawn. After having 

 brought this double operation to an end, the herring are taken out of 

 the bag by means of hand-nets and crayfish-nets and put in the boats or 

 laid on the shore. 



The largest nets, the so-called " eissauges," which are always hauled 

 on shore, are from 50 to 100 " sagenes" (350 to 700 feet) long, and have 

 a bag measuring 7 " sagenes," (49 feet.) 



The total length of this implement is 8 " sagenes," (56 feet,) and 

 a cylindrical net is attached to its bag serving as a leap, 3 "ar- 

 sheens " (7 feet) iu length, and stretched over three small wooden 

 rings. The meshes of the cylindrical net and those of the bag 

 measure only half an inch, while those of the wings measure 1£ inches. 

 With nets of this kind, small herring scarcely two inches long 

 are caught under the ice ; of these small herring, 2,500 weigh one 

 " poud," (36 pounds.) This kind of fishing is chiefly carried on near the 

 mouths of the Dwiua, and cart-loads of these fish are taken to Arch- 

 angel, the price of one cart-load being generally 5 " roubles," ($3.50 gold.) 



The sweep-nets have mostly ten hoops ; the first or foremost one, being 

 the largest, about 2£ " arsheens " (5 feet 10 inches) in diameter, while 

 the last or hindmost, being the smallest, measures only £ " arsheen," (1 

 foot 2 inches.) The hoops are placed at a distance of 1£ " arsheens" (3 

 feet 6 inches) from each other. The meshes are one inch square. Two 

 little necks, shaped like funnels, called "gorges" by the fishermen, are 

 attached to the inside of the nets ; and, through these openings, the fish 

 enter the net, where they become imprisoned. Each wing of the net 

 measures 10 " sagenes" (70 feet) iu length. These sweep-nets are placed 

 at a depth varying from 1 to 3 "sagenes," (7 to 21 feet,) chiefly during 

 the months of January and February. 



Preparing the herring.- — The herring caught in the spring, summer, 

 and autumn, in the bay of Kandalakcha, at Pogama, at Solovetsk, and 

 other places, are always salted. The monks of Solovetsk know how to do 

 this admirably. They do not take out the entrails, but after having 

 washed the herring properly, they barrel them in layers with the greatest 

 precision, and put a thick covering of salt on every layer, after which 

 the barrels are placed in the ice- vaults. 



In most of the villages, on the contrary, the herring are thrown pro- 

 miscuously into pine- barrels, which are so badly made that they scarce- 

 ly retain the brine ; then a quantity of salt is added, and the whole is 

 well shaken. Sometimes the large herring of St. John are dressed, 

 and then placed in layers iu the barrels, slightly salted. The barrels 

 are then left to stand a week and a half till the fish are completely im- 



