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The very important discovery of the art of 

 salting and drying fish, which has been the means 

 of affording sustenance to myriads, was made 

 towards the close of the thirteenth century, by 

 one William Beuckel of Brabant, who may just- 

 ly be considered one of the greatest benefac- 

 tors of the human race ; and it is recorded, that 

 one hundred and fifty years after his death the 

 Emperor Charles V. did honour to his invention, 

 by visiting and placing a herring on his tomb. 

 Some say that the secret was communicated to 

 the Flemings by a vagabond Scotsman, who, from 

 some motive or other, had quitted his country ; 

 but, whatever truth there may be in this, from that 

 time to the present the Dutch herrings have been 

 held in the highest estimation. The Dutch first 

 engaged in the herring fishing about the year 

 1164, and were in exclusive possession of it for 

 several centuries ; but at length its value became 

 so justly estimated, that severe and obstinate wars 

 between them and the English were the result. 

 This fish is found in the highest northern lati- 

 tudes that have yet been traversed, arid as low as 

 the northern coasts of France, but with the ex- 

 ception of one instance, where they were report- 

 ed to be in the bay of Tangier they have never 

 been discovered farther south than this. 



It is the universal opinion, that during winter 

 herrings retire to the northern seas, and that 

 from thence they commence their great migra- 

 tions to Europe arid America, whence, terrified 

 by the numerous enemies with which they meet, 



