168 AMERICAN ANGLER'S BOOK. 



are no longer seen. The Dutch, who, since 1164, have pro- 

 secuted the Herring- fishery with the greatest success, some- 

 times employ whole fleets of boats in the pursuit. At no 

 very remote period, the number of boats annually leaving 

 the Texel, under the protection of vessels of war, amounted 

 to not less than eleven or twelve hundred. This trade was 

 at its highest state of prosperity in the year 1618, at which 

 time the number of boats employed was 3000, manned by 

 fifty to sixty thousand men. Since that time the trade has 

 passed out of the hands of the Dutch, to a certain extent, and 

 is carried on by many nations of northern Europe. Accord- 

 ing to Black, the fishermen of Gothenburg alone, in his time, 

 took upwards of 700,000,000 Herrings. More than 130,000 

 barrels have been exported from Bergen in Norway ; the 

 amount consumed in the entire land exceeding double this 

 number. At the present day, the largest quantities are taken 

 on the shores of England. Recent investigations have ren- 

 dered it probable that the Herring actually does live within 

 a moderate distance of the localities where it is caught, 

 coming in from the deep water for the sake of depositing its 

 spawn. 



" A beautiful spectacle is seen when the Herring approach 

 the shores ; the rays of the sun are reflected from myriads of 

 silver scales, and above the army may be seen hovering hosts 

 of gulls, terns, and other sea-birds. Behind and alongside are 

 numerous rapacious fish, which, with seals, porpoises, and 

 other marine animals, devour immense numbers. The water 

 is filled with loose scales, rubbed off by their close proximity. 

 On account of their vast numbers, these fish are very easily 

 captured. This is done by means of nets, either on shore or 

 at sea. Every Dutch smack has four smaller boats along 

 with it, to carry fresh fish to the sea-ports, and for other pur- 

 poses. They use nets of 500 or 600 fathoms in length, made 



