FISHERIES AND SEAL-HUNTING. 49 



The liver of the cod-fish is gathered in tubs, and exposed to the heat of 

 the sun. After ten days, a coating of oil of amber-color is found swim- 

 ming at the top, which is skimmed and sold in casks containing from S 

 to 10 "ponds," (288 to 3G0 pounds.) Three '-pouds" (108 pounds) of 

 liver usually yield i " pond " (30 pounds) of oil. The cod-liver oil sells 

 at 2 "roubles" ($1.40 gold) a " poud," (30 pounds.) The residue is 

 cooked, and produces a dark brown oil, which costs less than the first- 

 mentioned kind. One " poud " (30 pounds) of this oil is usually obtained 

 from 2 " ponds" (72 pounds) of the residue. The dark and burned mat- 

 ter remaining at the bottom of the kettles is sold to the Norwegians, 

 who pay 1£ " roubles" ($1.05 gold) or a bottle of rum for a barrel, and 

 use it as grease. 



Organization of the fisheries. — The financial condition of the fisher- 

 men, as regards both their mutual relations and their relations to their 

 masters, varies according as the fisheries on the Mourmau coast are 

 carried on by fishermen who have established themselves there perma- 

 nently, or by those who only stay there during the summer-months. 



Among the permanent inhabitants of the Mourmau coast are the 

 inhabitants of the little town of Kola, and the Laplanders who live in 

 the neighborhood. Those fishermen who have their own boats and fish- 

 ing-implements buy on credit from the rich merchants of Kola all that 

 is required for their households, and pay in kind, i. e., by fish. The 

 price of the fish is fixed by the merchant himself, to whom the fishermen, 

 are bound to deliver the fish caught during the spring-fisheries, which 

 season is generally considered as continuing till the 29th of June. If' 

 their debts have been paid before this time, the merchant pays the fish- 

 ermen up to the 29th of June in cash, the price determined beforehand 

 for each fish delivered. After that time, the fishermen are at liberty to 

 sell their fish to whom they please, and can fix their own price. Tlie 

 principal buyers at this time are the fishermen who sail for Norway to 

 exchange fish, or those who come from there. In the autumn, the men. 

 lay iu fish for their own winter-provision ; but as soon as the frosts com- 

 mence, they again deliver the frozen fish to the merchants, who send, 

 them to St. Petersburg. Iu the middle of December, the fishing stops, 

 entirely, to recommence three months later. 



The poor inhabitants of the town of Kola, and most of the Laplanders, 

 work as day -laborers with the merchants, and receive a certain share of 

 the f»sh delivered to the merchants. The merchants furnish them fish- 

 ing-implements and provisions, but they must generally pay for the boats 

 from their own funds. The merchants divide the proceeds of the fish- 

 eries with their laborers, and buy their share of fish from them at a price 

 fixed beforehand. 



The organization of the fisheries of the " pomortsi," who only fish for 



some months on the Mourmau coast, is entirely different. They form 



fishing-associations, each member receiving a certain portion of the 

 4 F 



