eo Of the Herring Fisheri/. 



part'. Sonrc of ihcm arc small separate houses covered 

 with tiles, which are placed so as to let out the smoke. I 

 iiihall describe one of the largest of them. — It is divided into 

 three parts hv two rows of a sort of ladders raised ahtuit six 

 feet above the ground, and which reach up to the roof. As 

 the herrings are about ten inches long, the laths, which 

 form, as it were, the steps of the ladders, are placed at the 

 distance of eleven inches from each other, so as to leave an 

 inch between the tails of one row and the heads of another. 

 On those laths, or steps, arc placed the switches, or little 

 wooden spits, from which the herrings arc suspended. lu 

 each of those spaces or funnels in which the herrings are 

 placed, there arc two windows or vent-holes, which the di- 

 rector of the process opens, whenever he thinks proper, to 

 prevent the herrings growing black. To this circumstance 

 IS' probably owing the good colour of the French herrings. 

 Underneath is a large hearth for the fire;. The whole is 

 closed up like a stovi', but so as to admit a passage into it 

 when necessarv. 



Of the Curing of Heel IJerhigs In France. 



Tiie species and quality of the herrings, whether red or 

 \vhite, are the same. Tlie only difference is, that greater 

 care is taken not to cure in the white iiwnncr but those of 

 one or two nights, whereas red herrings are sometimes made 

 of those of three nights, although Uiey are not near as good 

 for this purpose as the herrings of one niaht. 



'Jhcv arc not dressed, ttiat is, the gills are not taken out, 

 v.or are tiicy untied, but thev are half-salted ; for which 

 purpose, when they are brought from the boat, they are put 

 \n a storeliousc oii a large tal)le, or on the Hoor, which nuist 

 be ver\' even. Two men turn about a hundred of them at 

 fl, time with wooden pallets, vvhilst another man throws salt 

 vipou litem. In short, thev are half salted in the same 

 iiuumer as the hcrpings that are to be cured in the white 

 way; and this jnav be done in largo tubs, (;r otherwise. 

 'l"he ordinance of.KjSO allows for every last of herrings (be- 

 tween ten and twelve tliousaud) three iiiinots (about three 

 bushels) of salt. If they arc Intended for the provinces 

 somewhat distant, they lie in the salt tubs for twenty-four 

 ur thirty hours ; if for the Mediterranean, forty-eight hours ; 

 ^•,\(\ for America, a little longer. After this they are washed 

 with great care in fresh wafer. It is prohibited to wash 

 ihcm in the brine of white herrings, or in that which llov.s otf 

 after the half- jalting : if sucli brines were used the herring* 

 would uun infallibly in three or four days time. Souie per- 

 4. sons 



