238 THE NATURAL HISTORY OP 



The herring fishery is of very remote antiquity. The 

 Dutch, remarkable for their persevering industry, first en- 

 gaged in it about the year 1164: they kept possession of it 

 for several centuries ; but at length its value became so well 

 known that it gave origin to several obstinate contests be- 

 tween them and the English. Still, however, either from 

 some defect in the British government, or an inferior me- 

 thod of conducting our fisheries, the Hollanders maintain a 

 decided superiority over us in this lucrative branch of com- 

 merce. 



Our great stations are off the Shetland and Western Isles, 

 and on the Norfolk coast, in which the Dutch also partici- 

 pate. Yarmouth has long been famous for its herring-fair, 

 which was regulated by an especial act of parliament in the 

 reign of king Edward the Third. The town is annually com- 

 pelled by its charter to send to the sheriffs of Norwich one 

 hundred herrings, to be made into twenty-four pies, by them 

 to be delivered to the lord of the manor of East Carleton, 

 who is to convey them to the king ; and hence the facetious 

 Dr. Fuller denominated a herring, " a Norfolk capon,''' 1 



Immense quantities of herrings are annually caught on 

 the British coasts, many of which are consumed while fresh ; 

 and the rest are either salted, or smoke-dried, and exported 

 to various parts of Europe. 



When salt was subject to a high duty, and sufficient salt 

 was not kept at those places where herrings make their ca- 

 pricious appearances, great loss was frequently sustained. 

 This happened occasionally on many parts of the Scotch 

 coast, but more particularly on the north of the entrance of 

 the Frith of Forth. That Frith, as it is deep water, and 

 without any shallow or interruption, is a favourable resort 

 of herrings in the autumn and early part of winter. They 

 come from the deep water in immense shoals or masses. 

 For this reason they generally prefer deep water, avoiding 

 the shoal coasts ; and, when they do get entangled upon one, 

 great numbers are wrecked. 



