X)f the Herring Fishery. ^3 



Xyf some Imperfections peculiar to Red Merrings, 



Such herrings as have stuck together when dryhig, lose 

 their skin in the separating of them, and are therefore un- 

 merchantable. Those that have got too much fire, or, what 

 •is worse, are burnt, are hkewise set apart with the refuse. 



Although it is allowed to cure herrings oi" three nights 

 taking, yet it woiild be proper to put those of one, two, 

 and three nights in separate barrels, as the herrings of one 

 night are infoiitelv better than the others, and those of three 

 nights are of a very inferior quality. As to the herrings of 

 four nights, it is not allowed to sell them at all. There 

 should be also a prohibition against salting with old brine, 

 ■of any sort whatsoever, those herrings that arc to be cured 

 in this manlier, 



■O/" a Sort 'of Half-cin-ed Herrings, called Bouffis {.swelled), 

 Craquelots, or Appetits. 



These herrings do not keep long, and arc usually made 

 of shotten herrifigs, and of those of several nights, which 

 are not fit to be cured in the white nor even in the red man- 

 ner. As thev are ready sooner than the red herrings, they 

 .find purchasers, and would be very delicate if thev were 

 made of good herrings, and attention paid to the curing of 

 them. They are called bonffis (swelled), because the smart 

 iire they are put to swells them. 



It is not allowed to salt the herrings, that arc to be cured 

 as red Iverrings, in tl*e brine of the white ones ; but, on the 

 •contrary, it is usual to make use of this brine for salting the 

 herrings we are now treating of. For they say that new salt 

 would make them crack ; which, indeed, is not probable, 

 Be this as it may, this method of curing herrings is entiroiy 

 left to the women. 



According as the women receive the herrings they put 

 tliem into large tubs, containing a cjuautity of brine, without 

 j)ressing them against one another. Many of them are 

 salted enougli ia the course of twavty-four hours : but the 

 shotten herrings, as they discharge more blood than tlu; 

 full ones, ai"e ieft in the brine for several days, and there is 

 no danger of their taking too much salt. When they are 

 taken out of the tubs they are filod upon switches or rods, 

 and then hung up in small st-ovcs that may contaiai five or 

 six thousand herrings. It is not usual to let them drip ; 

 hut as soon as the last rows are placed the fire is lighted, 

 However, at first thev put up only one-half of them, and 

 iiitp the fire 2oing for six houi.-j after which thev put up 

 B 4 Uic 



