294 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



examining one of them out of the water, and we are 

 indebted to the Report on Scotch Fishing Boats, by 

 Captain Washington (1849), for their actual dimen- 

 sions and a knowledge of their lines. Tlie midship 

 section is low and broad, with a flat or rather hollow 

 floor ; the greatest breadth at the water-line is just 

 three-fifths from the bow, and the lines there and down- 

 wards are essentially on the wave principle. There is 

 considerable rake of both stem and stern post, and the 

 boat is entirely open. The dimensions, as given in the 

 Report, are 41 feet over all, 13 feet beam, and 4 feet 

 9 inches depth of hold. The peculiarity of the " scaith," 

 however^ is not confined to her build, as she carries 

 a mizen in addition to the fore and main lugs ; and, 

 with poles rigged up to act as bow-lines, she has the 

 quaint appearance represented by the distant boat in 

 Plate XIII. 



These boats sail fast, and stand up well to their 

 canvas, but are best adaj^ted for smooth water. The 

 fishermen nevertheless go long distances in them ; but 

 we believe they are decreasing in number, and ten 

 years ago we saw comparatively few of them. 



Five men are the ordinary crew of a herring boat, 

 except in the winter fishery, when the frequent bad 

 weather makes a larger number desirable, although 

 fewer nets are then used. 



Wick is one of the most important herring stations 

 on the east coast, and curing operations are there car- 

 ried on upon a large scale, although Peterhead and 

 Fraserburgh generally make a more conspicuous figure 

 in the official returns. The method of preparing the 

 fish there, as at the other Scotch stations, is that known 

 as the British White Herring Cure, and consists simply 

 in packing the herrings with a certain proportion of 



