52 FISHES AND FISHING. 



A third method is by netting. Upon one occasion 

 (as described in Trusler's Habitable World, vol. ii. 

 p. 189), five hundred of these fish were taken; the 

 generality of which were thirteen, fourteen, to 

 twenty-three hundred weight each. 



A fourth mode of taking them is by strong lines 

 and hooks, baited with a small fish, called in Eussia 

 Obla {Cyprinas Griflagine). 



All these modes are adopted at certain seasons, 

 and under strict regulations. In winter, those fish 

 caught, are sent on sledges, frozen, to Astrachan, and 

 100 of these fresh beljugas then sold for 120 roubles, 

 of 4s. Qd. each, or £27. Of the roe of the female fish, 

 the cavear is made thus : the roe is pressed through a 

 coarse sieve, to cleanse it from the skins and blood- 

 vessels ; one pud of roe placed in a trough, will take 

 five pounds of salt ; it remains in the trough an 

 hour ; it is then spread over fine sieves to drain away 

 the brine, and then pressed down into barrels; this is 

 the granular cavear, and sold at one rouble, eighty co- 

 pecs (or kopecks) the pud, or 7*. lOd. English. There 

 is another kind of cavear made thus : the roe is sepa- 

 rated from the skins and blood-vessels, is placed for 

 half an hour in strong brine ; it is then taken out, 

 and laid on sieves to drain ; then put into pointed 

 bags, like jelly bags, each bag containing 18lbs. In 

 these bags it is squeezed till all the brine is out j it is 



