THE CLUPEA HARENGIS. 239 



The rocky promontory at the east end of the county of 

 Fife, off' which there lies an extensive reef or rock, some- 

 times has that effect; and there have been seas in which, 

 when the difficulties of the place have been augmented by 

 a strong- wind from the south coast, that carried breakers 

 upon the reef, and a heavy surf along the shore, the beach 

 for many miles has been covered with a bank of herrings 

 several feet in depth, which, if taken and salted when first 

 left by the tide, would have been worth many thousands of 

 pounds ; but which, as there was not a sufficient supply of 

 salt in the neighbourhood, were allowed to remain putrefy- 

 ing upon the beach, until the farmers found leisure to cart 

 them away as manure. One of these strandings took place 

 in and around the harbour of the small town of Crail, only 

 a few years ago, but prior to the new regulations which were 

 enacted with regard to salt. The water appeared at first so 

 full of herrings that half a dozen could be taken at each 

 dip of a basket. Numbers of people thronged to the wa- 

 ter's edge, and fished with great success ; and the public 

 crier was sent through the town to proclaim that " callar 

 herrings," which signifies herrings fresh from the sea, might 

 be purchased at the rate of forty a penny. As the water 

 rose, so the fish accumulated, until numbers were stunned, 

 and the rising" tide was bordered with fish, with which 

 baskets could be filled in an instant. The crier was upon 

 this instructed to alter his note, and the people were invited 

 to repair to the shore, and obtain herrings at a shilling the 

 cart-load. But every succeeding wave added to the mass 

 of fish, and brought it nearer to the land, which caused a 

 fresh invitation to whoever might feel inclined to come and 

 take what herrings they chose, gratis. The fish still conti- 

 nued to accumulate till the height of the flood, and, when 

 the water began to ebb, they remained on the beach. It 

 was rather early in the season, so that warm weather might 

 be expected, and the effluvia of so many putrid fish might 

 occasion disease ; therefore the corporation offered a reward 



