HERRING CURING. 47 



spits, hanging the spits, when full, on wooden racks 

 placed conveniently for the purpose, each spit holding 

 from 23 to 27 fish, according to their size. When 

 the "horses" (racks) are full, the men mount the 

 "loves," the hanger going to the top, one man re- 

 maining in the middle, and one near the bottom, and 

 with a foot on each " love," like the letter Y turned 

 upside down, they, receiving the spitted herrings from 

 the " rivers," pass them up to the hanger, who places 

 them about six inches apart on the ledges, beginning 

 at the top and working downwards. A good hanger 

 prides himself in so hanging his house that when 

 finished the roof may be seen through each row of 

 herrings from the floor. This operation completed, 

 the oak-billet fires are made on the floor, and the 

 smoking process begins ; this is varied according to 

 the market for which the fish are destined. 



This part of the curing requires constant attention 

 by day and night. For special cures the intermediate 

 processes vary. When the herrings are sufficiently 

 smoked they are "struck" (passed down from the 

 loves), the men climbing up as before. They are 

 then put into packages, which vary in size and style 

 according to the cure or market for which they are 

 intended. For exportation strong barrels are used, 

 while for the home trade the lighter box or " ped " 

 (hamper) is adopted. The fish are rarely counted 

 into the packages except for special orders ; but so 

 regular is the packing, from long practice, that the 

 contents of a number of packages will vary very 

 slightly. 



