DUTCH HERRING FISHERY. 



The herrings are feldom in our bays in fummer, 

 Except a fmall kind not merchantable. Somj- 

 times they fet into the bays on the weft coaft in au- 

 tumn, butfo uncertain, that gentlemen who have at 

 different times kept a flock of fait and cafks upon 

 hand for the purpofe, have loft confiderably by it. 

 The barrels ufed by the Dutch,, meafure about 34 

 gallons ; are of a thin fuperficial make, and made 

 only fit to carry their herrings to market once.* They 

 coft in Holland a guilder, or a fum equal to is. $d. 

 No jaggers remain with the buries after the i5th of 

 July. They muft that day leave their ftations and 

 go home, whether they have got cargoes or not. 

 But it often happens that they have all cargoes, and 

 Are away a week before they are obliged to go. 

 All the herrings caught after the jaggers leave the 

 fleet, are cured and kept on board the refpective 

 veflels by whom they are caught, until a cargo is 

 made, or until the feafon is over for filhing. 



Sloops of an ordinary make are not fit for fifhing 

 in the open feas, as there is no room upon their decks 

 for all the operations and conveniencies necefiary. 

 Befides, they are commonly too low in the waift. 

 The jaggers carry boats for bringing the herrings 

 from the bufles at fea, but the bufTes never carry 

 any, as there is no room upon deck for them. The. 

 Dutch know from the colour of the water, whether 

 the herrings fwim deep or high up in the water, and 

 regulate their buoy ropes accordingly. 



ExtraR of a Letter from Scotland, May 10, 1785. 



Since you was in this place I have had a converfa- 

 tlon with a perfon who was many years engaged in, 

 curing of herrings on board the Dutch buflcs ; and 

 it is from him, as well as from others, I learned that 

 the fuperiority of irhe Dutch herrings, may be 

 afcribed to the follc A ing caufes, viz. 



* Meaning the barrels for the early fammer hen ings. 



s a i. To 



