HERRING FISHERY. g 



fimilar artifice ufed by the fifliers, on the coaft of 

 Dalmatia ; they carry lanterns in order to entice 

 the fardines, which are there in great abundance. 



The nets are very long, confifting of fifty or 

 fixty webs, fortified with narrow net maflies, in 

 order that the herring may be entangled by his 

 gills. The mouth of the net may be fortified 

 with good hemp, or ftrong Perfian filk, as being 

 more durable than hemp, being capable of hold- 

 ing good three years : moreover they are tanned, 

 or coloured brown with fmoke, that they may be 

 the lefs perceptible by the fifh. The nets are 

 thrown out at fun fet, betwixt two bufles, which, 

 on account of their fize, require much time and 

 labour. They are fattened, and; buoyed up with 

 calks to prevent finking, which ferve as a diflm- 

 guilhing mark, and a,lfo, by reafon of their weight, 

 inilead of an anchor ^ To prevent them from get- 

 ting entangled in one another, the bufles fliould be 

 fo arranged, that each may preferve its nets free. 

 During night the fifh runs into the nets fpread out 

 for them* and about five or fix in the morning 

 they are hawled up. This labour will give full 

 employment for three hours,, as the take is com- 

 monly from three to ten lails, and fometimes even 

 fourteen lafts. The day is taken up in dreffing 

 the fifli ; they begin the operation by cutting out 

 the gills, as tliofe parts are liable to fpeedy putre- 

 faction 



