M KLIt-FlStI IN ICELAND. '^l\ 



When dried fish are made from salted fisb, the dried product i8 o-en- 

 erally one-third lighter tlvan the salted fish from which it was prepared 

 /. After the fish are dried they are brought into small store-houses and 

 placed m large heaps, just as in Norway. Most of the store-houses in 

 Iceland have a frame-work of posts, covered outside with boards and 

 partly wainscoted within. They consist of a single room, and the fish 

 are usually piled quite np to the roof, if there are enough of them. Each 

 heap IS always covered with mats or sail-cloth, as the air here is very 

 moist, and, since the fish are strongly salted, moist air may easily pene- 

 trate and injure them. 



g. Besides cod, a great many haddock, of which a considerable num- 

 ber are caught off the coast of Iceland, are used for klip-fish, and they 

 are handled m just the same manner as cod. On the other hand, lin- 

 (Brosmms) are less common, but they are also sometimes prepared in 

 the same manner. The wolf-fish and halibut are also split, salted, and 

 dried a^ klip-fish, but they are nsed exclusively for home consumption. 

 //. Of the refuse portions of the fish very little is used. The heads 

 are dried to some extent and used as food, both for men and other 

 animals, but tlie greater portion is thrown away as useless. The air- 

 ^ bladders are also sometimes used. As soon as thev are removed thev 

 I are carefully washed in salt water to remove the blood and the black 

 skill. They are not salted in vats or bins until most of the water has 

 been drained off. As a rule, sufficient salt is used to make a strono- 

 I brine. There is, however, no fixed time during which the fish mus^t 

 I remain in pi(,kle. When they are taken out of the salt they are again 

 \ washed in salt water, and the black skin which then appears is peeled 

 I off. Afterwards they are hung up by strings, and dried bv hangin- 

 i hem on the sides of the houses. They are used almost entirely for 

 home consumption, and rarely as an article of commerce. 

 t. No fish which are prepared by the people of Iceland as klin-fish 

 •' are pickled in barrels. 



.;. The principal market for the Iceland fish is Southern Spain, but 

 I many of the Iceland traders send a not inconsiderable quantity to 

 Copenhagen, consisting for the most part of salted and moist fish. On 

 « the other hand, while dried fish are sent to Spain, no further assorting 

 i takes place for the trade, as far as I know. Haddock are sent both to 

 \ bpain and to Copenhagen.* 



Jc. The difference between the winter fish and the summer fish is that 

 the winter fish are usually larger and comparatively fatter than the 

 summer fish. 



I Fish caught with the hook are as a rule the best fish in Iceland 

 because they are always bled and are quickly salted. The mode of 

 drying is the same for all klip-fish. 



m. The ^iver^^ all and con tains very little oil. From 1,000 to 

 *A large number of small fish are also sent to G7eat Britain" 



