AN ACCOUNT OF THE FISHERIES OF NORWAY IN 1877. 715 



more lost in a single day 174 fishermen ; but, above all, the 11th of 

 March, 1821 — fatal Monda}^ — when hundreds of lives were lost simulta- 

 neously all along the coast of Korway. The parish of Haram lost on 

 this day nearly 300 men. In April, 1875, a similar catastrophe took 

 place in Finmark, 100 boats perishing in one day, with 200 to 300 fisher- 

 men, who, having set out in the morning under fair auspices, were soon 

 after assailed by a northeast storm and a terrible fall of snow. 



In Sondmore and Kamsdal fishing is carried on a little differently. 

 The peasants are nearly all fishermen, but, besides this, the merchants 

 of the city and country fit out one or more vessels. All require work- 

 men to aid them, and it is necessary to seek them in the most distant 

 fjords and valleys, where the peasant does not live ordinarily by fishing. 

 Lately the number of vessels equipped has increased so much that it has 

 become impossible to find the necessary hands. 



The Sondmore fisherman sets out toward two o'clock in the morning. 

 The vessels, manned by seven or eight men, are provided with nets, 

 trawls, or hand-lines. The latter are employed, as before stated, often 

 without bait, but provided with a tin fish. 



The trawl and net are used here as in the Loffoden Isles, always with 

 this difference, however, that the route being much longer, the apparatus 

 is immediately returned to the water. If the weather is fine enough the 

 fishermen remain till it is time to draw up the second cast, for the boats 

 are large enough to carry the product of two successive hauls. A catch 

 of 350 to 450 cod is considered good. The fish, turned over to the women 

 on reaching loud, are generally prepared into Mipfisch or salt fish. 



The product of this fishery has never been as abundant as in the 

 Loffoden Islands, and they consider the catch good when the winter 

 campaign reaches 5,000 to 6,000 cod to a vessel. This fish is generally 

 large, weighing about 1,100 grams (3G.6 ounces). Manufactured, as 

 it is, into dried fish, it brings in recent years a very high price; as, 

 furthermore, the Sondmore fisherman can devote himself to this fishery 

 without leaving his home, cod fishing in Sondmore is generally con- 

 sidered a very lucrative occupation. 



3. Quality of the cod. 



We have seen that the largest and fattest cod do not bite at the 

 hook, and must be sought after with gill-nets. It follows that the latter 

 implement furnishes a very superior article of merchandise. It requires 

 sometimes but 210 cod caught in a net against 360 taken with the hook 

 to furnish a hectoliter (about 26^ gallons) of liver, and 1§ to 2 hectoliters 

 of liver taken from the former against 2^ to 2.J of the latter, to furnish a 

 hectoliter of oil. In unproductive years, and toward the end of the 

 season, 500 to 600 cod are sometimes required for a hectoliter of liver ; 

 the livers taken at this time are relatively still less rich in oil. 



When a fish has passed more than three days in a net it can no 

 longer be made into Mixjjisch; up to five days the livers may still be 



