CHAP. VI.J 



VIEW OF A CURING YARD. 



261 



far the larger portion of the daily catch has to be salted. This 

 process during a good season employs a very large number of 

 persons, chiefly as coopers and gutters ; and, as the barrels have 

 to be branded, by way of certificate of the quality of their con- 

 tents, it is necessary that the salting should be carefully done. 



VIEW OF A CURING YARD. 



As soon as the boats reach the harbour and as the fishing is 

 appointed to be carried on after sunset they arrive very early 

 in the morning the various crews commence to carry their 

 fish to the reception-troughs of the curers by whom they have 

 been engaged. A person in the interest of the curer checks 

 the number of crans brought in, and sprinkles the fish from 

 time to time with considerable quantities of salt. As soon as 

 a score or two of baskets have been emptied, the gutters set 

 earnestly to do their portion of the work, which is dirty and 

 disagreeable in the extreme. The gutters usually work in 



