THE GADUS MORRHUA. 219 



to them till they are ready to rot ; then they lay them on a 

 block, and heat the vertebra? till the bladders are loosened, 

 as well as the ligaments by which they were fastened, and 

 which are called pockets ; they then cut away the bladders, 

 and place them on a table or block, on which is nailed a 

 rough brush intended to clean them ; with a jagged knife 

 they scratch the outer skin off the bladders and ligaments. 

 The bladders being thus cleaned, they are soaked for a time 

 in lime-water, to take off all the salt which may yet adhere 

 to them ; then they rince them in clear water, afterwards 

 dry them, and then they maybe used as isinglass. At New- 

 foundland they have attempted the same thing ; but, as they 

 have neither time nor room for all these processes, they salt 

 the air-bladders and keep them for use, or else eat them. 

 When wanted for the purpose of making isinglass, they must 

 be soaked in water to take away the salt. The thickest 

 bladders are the best for use, though the isinglass will not 

 be quite so clear as that made from thin ones. The Nor- 

 wegians eat the air-bladders fresh, or salt them for sale ; 

 they call them sunde mauer, or stomachic, believing them 

 to be good for the stomach : hence the English name sounds 

 or zounds. At Newfoundland they also turn the tongues to 

 advantage, eating them either fresh or salted, and count 

 them a delicacy. The Norwegians, Icelanders, &c, make 

 oil from the livers, for when it attains a certain degree of 

 corruption the oil of itself will run out, which oil is preferred 

 to whale oil, because it keeps leather a longer time moist, 

 and when used for light makes less smoke. The ova or eggs 

 are also preserved with care, being salted and put into casks, 

 and sold to the Dutch and French, who use them for a bait 

 to catch anchovy"; they export from Bergen annually at 

 least twenty thousand barrels of these eggs ; each barrel 

 fetching 1 about seven shillings sterling 1 . 



Though this fishery is very considerable in the north of 

 Europe, it is not to be compared with that carried on in 

 North America, particularly on the Banks of Newfound- 



