THE SCOTCH EAST COAST HERRING FISHING. 25 



bered also that the English cure a large portion of their 

 catch in this style, and will prove dangerous competitors. 



Red herrings are not cured so much for the home 

 markets as for foreign. The countries around the 

 Mediterranean are the largest consumers, and prices there- 

 from are good. The cure is thus described. The herrings 

 are soaked in salt and saltpetre till they are rigid. The 

 pickle is then removed. They are hung on the spits for a 

 few days, and afterwards smoked until they are of the 

 required colour. It takes eight or nine days to cure red 

 herrings properly. 



The tinning of herrings for the greater part is confined to 

 Aberdeen, and Australia is the great market. Last year 

 (1882) there were close on 2^- millions of tins exported from 

 Aberdeen for the various warm countries. There are from 

 three to five herrings in a tin, and the tin and herrings 

 weigh i Ib. The process of curing and putting up is pretty 

 much kept secret, and in case of mistakes I had better not 

 endeavour to describe the method. 



The famous Scotch pickle cure, the most important of 

 all methods, now deserves special reference. The " pickle 

 cure " was first practised as an article of trade in Holland 

 in the year 1307. Immediately on the herrings being 

 delivered by the carter at the yard, and deposited or 

 "tumbled" into the farlin, i.e. gutting-tub, the coopers 

 are careful to sprinkle them well with salt. This sprinkling 

 of salt called " rousing " preserves and revives the con- 

 dition of the herrings while they are being gutted. The 

 gutting women lose no time in commencing their work. 

 With their short knife in the right hand, and the herring in 

 their left, they, by a dexterous and experienced movement 

 withdraw the viscera and gills. All bloody matter is 

 included therewith, and its withdrawal prevents the fish 



