222 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



that all we cau gather from them is the fact that eveu then the herring- 

 fisheries were carried on only at long intervals, for if they had been going 

 on uninterruptedly they would certainly have assumed such proportions 

 as to attract the attention of the authors of the sagas. The conditions 

 under which such fisheries can be carried on in Bohusliin are so favor- 

 able, compared with the northern and western coasts of Norway — and 

 Norway was at that time powerful enough to protect the fisheries during 

 the short fishing-season — that it would be unreasonable to sujipose that 

 such had not beeu the case, or that the herrings should have visited this 

 coast steadily without any considerable fisheries being carried on. But 

 as in all i^robability the herrings did not come regularly every year, the 

 Bohuslau herriug-flsheries must have been less important in those times. 

 This will appear still more probable if we take into consideration the 

 smaller population, the constant disturbances occasioned by civil and for- 

 eign wars, and the limited knowledge of j^roper fishing-implements and 

 of the projjer way of preparing fish for the trade. 



The first Bohusliin herring-fishery of any imxjortance has, therefore, 

 probably been the one which attracted so much attention during the first 

 part of the thirteenth century, and which is supposed to have begun 

 towards the end of Kiug Hdkon HakonssonlH reign, that is, in the begin- 

 ning of the second half of the twelfth century. King Hdkon '■'■the 

 Old''"' died in 1262, and in 1257 it seems the fisheries had not yet com- 

 menced.^ It was only under the reigu of this kiug that the outer coast 

 of Bohusliin was occupied and cultivated by man, Avhich certainly was 

 the most essential condition of the development of the sea-fisheries as a 

 trade independent of agriculture. 



Bohusliin, like the rest of Norway, had, during the twelfth century, 

 reached a degree of civilization, wealth, and population which scarcely 

 found its equal in the other portions of Scandinavia. The city of Mar- 

 strand dates its existence from that period (although its excellent har- 

 bor ha^d before that time become a favorite meeting-place of merchant- 

 vessels); and the establishment of wealthy convents'' near Brags- 

 mark seems likewise to i^oint to the importance and development 

 of this coast. With the convent founded by King Hdlion there was 

 combined a sort of high school, one of the first of its kind, if not in the 

 whole of Scandinavia, at least in that portion. This school, during the 

 following two centimes, became of considerable importance for the whole 

 country.^ The constant intercourse kept \\\) by a flourishing commerce 

 between Norway and foreign countries, the great interest taken in litera- 



^Couceruiug tliese fisheries see A. Boeck's article: '^Det J>ohusla)if<J:a siUfishmeVs histo- 

 ria," in "Nordisk Tidsskrift for Fislceri," I, Copenhagen, 1873, pp. 1-3; and .4. E. HoJniberg : 

 "BohuslUn's historia och heskrifmmj ." Ucldevalla, 1842-'45. I, p. 80; II, p. 84 ; III, p.. 

 194, 40G. Second edition, Ocrefero, 1867, 1, p. 96. 279 ; II, p. 314 ; III, p. 191. The opin- 

 ion advanced by the first-mentioned author that these fisheries had commenced long, 

 before the end of the twelfth century seems, however, somewhat doubtful. 



3 Even long before this time there was a similar convent at Kouuugahella. 



^Holmberg: Boh itslci a' s historia och beskrifning, III, p. 102-108; 2d ed., II, i>..227. 



