50 THE SILVERY HOSTS OF THE NORTH SEA. 



following manner. The back of the herring is laid 

 in the hollow of the left hand, with its head projecting 

 about an inch beyond the fingers. The " gypping " 

 knife (a short, sharp-pointed blade firmly set in a 

 wooden handle) is held in the right hand, and its 

 point inserted into the throat of the fish, cutting 

 down to the backbone, and through to the other side, 

 when, by a dexterous movement of the fingers and 

 turn of the hand, the entrails and gills are removed. 



After being " roused " in salt again, they are packed 

 in barrels, in layers extending across the barrel. Be- 

 tween each layer a small quantity of salt is sprinkled. 

 The barrels being filled, they are covered and left for 

 two or three days, when the fish will be found to have 

 settled. 



The barrels are then filled up out of others of the 

 same day's packing, in order to preserve the uni- 

 formity of the parcel throughout ; they are then 

 headed down, and rolled away into tiers, where they 

 must be frequently examined, in order to ascertain 

 whether they retain their pickle, to supply any defi- 

 ciency, and to repair any leak that may be discovered. 



The fish are packed as quickly as gutted, in order 

 that the juices they contain, and which contribute 

 largely to their ultimate flavour, may not be wasted. 



When required for shipment, they are tightly 

 bunged, and the hoops examined to see that all is 

 right for the rough handling they have of necessity 

 to undergo during transit. Another plan is to pack 

 the fish without gutting them, in which case they 

 are well " roused " in salt, and immediately packed 



