io6 



(3) the salting without sun- drying of fish, espe- 

 cially large ones, in which the process is varied by 

 stacking the fish in rectangular heaps above ground so 

 as to squeeze out much of the moisture, or by piling it 

 in pits or troughs below ground with a similar object. 

 No other processes are general though there are signifi- 

 cant variants, chiefiy domestic or for a special trade ; 

 valuable as showing that other methods are available 

 and approved of. Such are the pickled mackerel of 

 Cochin in which mackerel are packed in barrels with 

 salt and Malabar tamarind (guraka puli) ; the result is a 

 hard black product which is consumed only in Ceylon, 

 for which it is specially prepared. Another is the dry- 

 ing of bonito fiesh, a practice of the Laccadives only, 

 the product of which is in hard brown strips, capable of 

 keeping for a long while ; this largely corresponds with a 

 Japanese method. A third excellent method is domestic 

 only, viz., the well-known "tamarind fish" now little 

 known to the public, but capable of much development. 

 A fourth has still greater possibilities and has been 

 found in two or three places chiefiy on the East Coast 

 but only for special markets ; this is the use of tunnei'ic 

 with salt, the former condiment having apparently great 

 preservative power ; turmeric is cheap and universally 

 liked by Indian consumers, and if, on experiment, its 

 preservative powers realize expectations, a good and 

 absolutely wholesome article, acceptable to popular 

 tastes, will have been discovered. Here the list of 

 Madras methods ends, though In Bombay market I 

 discovered excellent goods, in which pepper was one 

 of the preservative condiments ; the recipe will be 

 ascertained hereafter as the product was excellent in 

 appearance and smell, and firm to the touch. 



29. As indicated in my West Coast report, the 

 general curing methods leave almost everything to be 

 desired, and East Coast practices are In some ways 

 worse — 



(1) the fish are often tainted on reaching the 



yard ; 



(2) the amount of salt used Is insuf^cient ; 



(3) the fish are left too short a time In salt ; 



(4) the goods are dried on the ground whether 

 with or without mats, so that the under side for the time 

 beino- obtains neither sun nor air ; as is well known, 



