244 Angling Travels in Norway. 



Bod)^ is the business centre of an enormous trade in 

 fish, chiefly herring and cod, which are sent to England, 

 Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Italy ; the herrings being 

 salted and packed in barrels, and the codfish are dried. 

 This trade brino;s a large number of merchants and 

 travellers to the town, and the requirements of the 

 population of fishermen have, of course, to be supplied. 



In Nordland during the winter months little more 

 than five hours of daylight is enjoyed, but the Northern 

 Lights are of such brilliance that by them it is even 

 possible to read. 



The herring fishery should commence about the first 

 of July, but this year they are very late in putting in 

 their appearance, and they were not expected, under those 

 circumstances, to arrive before September, the consequence 

 being that the men and boats have been idle for a couple 

 of months. The best and fattest fish will only keep a 

 few months when salted, but those of inferior quality will 

 last a year. 



I learnt that the small herrings realize from Kr.2 to 

 Kr.8 per barrel early in the season, but later on the fish of 

 good size and quality sell from Kr. 10 to Kr.l6 per barrel, 

 and that at any price under Kr.2 per barrel they do not 

 pay for the getting, and such are mostly disposed of to 

 an English guano manufacturing company near Bod^. 



The herring fishing lasts pretty well all through the 



