294 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



A large trade in cured pilchards is carried on between 

 Cornwall and Spain, the idea having originated at Meva- 

 gissey as follows: In 1876, observed Mr. Dunn (Land 

 and Water, November i8th, 1882), a fish-curer here found 

 there was a demand in the Mediterranean fish markets for 

 bright-salted pilchards. He first thought the matter out, 

 and then proceeded and cured several tons of pilchards by 

 throwing them with salt into barrels and allowing the brine 

 to rise over them. After keeping them steeped for some 

 weeks they were washed, packed, and pressed into clean 

 barrels, just as was formerly done by the old-fashioned 

 fumadoes. On their being put on the market it was at 

 once seen they were the article wanted, for these fish, 

 instead of having the dirty-yellow hue of the fumade, had 

 the desired bright and clean silvery colour, hence they have 

 been in demand ever since. The fish-curer in question took 

 out no patent rights, but allowed all to use his discovery, 

 so much so that for some seasons past not less than 1000 

 hogshead of fish yearly have been shipped for the Medi- 

 terranean from Mevagissey alone. The barrels first used 

 have been superseded by large steeping vats, one of which 

 here will hold over 500,000 fish. Since the business in 

 question has been progressing, it has been discovered that 

 the Spaniards cure sardines much after the same manner. 



Fumados* are thus prepared : a layer of salt is first placed 

 on the floor, then a layer of fish, and so on up to from 3 to 

 5 feet high, the outermost row of fish having their heads 

 out and slightly turned up, and the inner rows at right 

 angles to them. French or Spanish salt, being of a coarser 

 grain than English, is preferred. The bulk remains thus 

 about a month, and the oil as well as the brine which drains 

 from them is collected into a receiver. They are now 

 * The name indicates that these fish were formerly smoked. 



