192 



the herring wear at Plymouth for three j^ears to three men, " wlio were 

 to deliver the shares offish, and receive one and sixpence per thousand 

 for their trouble." We hear of it on the coast of JMaine, also, a few 

 years afterwards. Josselyn says that the "herrin" were "so numer- 

 ous, they take of them all summer long." In 1670, he continues, "they 

 were driven into Black Point harbor, by other great fish that prey upon 

 them, so ne;u- the shore that they threw thr-mselves (it being high 

 water) upon dr}^ land in such infinite numbers that we might have gone 

 half wa}^ the leg amongst them for near a quarter of a mile." He 

 repeats the account in his "Chronological Observations of America," 

 wheie he states that so "wonderful" was the quantity, that "they were 

 half-leg deep for a mile together." Of the manner of cooking at that 

 period he remarks, tliat "we used to qualify a j)icklcd herrin by boiling 

 of liiin in milk." These incidents are sufficient to show the early 

 origin. 



From the fragmentary notices of the fishery which are to be met 

 with, it seems probaljle that, for a long time, as the scools of herrings 

 came to our coasts, the inhabitants on the sea and rivers, from Maine 

 to the Carolinas, generally secured sufficient for consumption fiesh; 

 that the more careful provided themselves with salt to cure quantities 

 for future use; and that some, becoming regular fishermen, caught and 

 cured llie fish for sale to their neighbors of the interior. And that the 

 practice was continued, suljstantiali}-, without interruption, until the 

 watei'S resorted to by the herring for the deposite of its spawn were ob- 

 structed by dams and mills, is hardly to be doubted. It is certainly 

 true that, on some of the rivers, where the fishery is now nearly extinct, 

 the suppty at the revolutionary era was considered inexhaustible ; and 

 that farmers and fishermen were in the constant habit of filling wagons 

 ond boats at pleasure with scoop-nets and other simple implements. 

 Since the peace of 1783, the herring has abandoned many of its old 

 haunts, but is still caught in wears, seines, and nets, in various parts of 



10,3().'> boats aud upwards of 44,000 fishermen; while the number of other persons connected 

 with it exceeded 31,000 persons. The quantity of herrings cured in that j-ear was 379,233 

 barrels. In 1831, the quantity cured was 4:)'.),37l) barrels. Two years later, the number of 

 barrels was 329,557, of which 181,654 barrels were exported. In 1837, the quantify was 451,531 

 barrels, and the largest catch known ; while the export was 27'2,093 barrels. The fish(>ry, at 

 this time, employed 11,284 boats ; 49,212 fisheiinen aud boys ; 1,925 coopers; aud 23,972 men, 

 Women arid children, in gibbing, packing, and other labor. The quantity of nets in use was 

 more than one million sipiare yards. 



Yarmouth is a great herring mart. The vessels employed in the fishery cost about five 

 thoiLsaud dollars. The nets fonn a large item in the expenses of the outfit. The fishing voy- 

 age is short, not often occujiying more than a week or len days. 



The commissii)uers of tlie Hriiish herring fishery, in their report, 1839, state that in 1810, 

 when the board of commissioners was instituted, the whole numln'r of barrels of herrings cured 

 Was only about 90,000 ; whereas the number iu the first mentioned year was 555,559 barrels. 

 Th(y' state, further, that this fishery, as a nursery fi>r seamen, is invaluable; that it enqjloys 

 50.000 fishennen, (meJi and boys,) and 1],3.")7 boats, and that " many of the best of our sailors " 

 were drawn from it during the \^;^rs in wiiicli Eiiglaud had been recently engaged. 



The herring fishery of Sweden, three centuries ago, was extensive. Gotteiiburgh was its 

 principal seat. The fish finally disappeared from the coast, as is said, and did not again 

 appear for a long time. About the year KiOO tlie business was ne.-irly extinct; but the catch 

 Was large during the liftcen succeeding years. From 107.5 to 1747 the herring disai)peared. 

 From the last nu'utioned year U^ 1770, lish were abundant, the jjroduce of the fishery averaging, 

 probably, 150,000 barrels. In 1833, upwards of 48, ()()() barrels of herrings were imported into 

 Sweden : aud in 1840 the Gotteaburgh fishery was declared to be at aa end. 



