HERRING FISHERY. 29 



lows. The Norman fifhermen place the herrings 

 m different compartments upon the deck : they 

 open their necks a little with a fmali knife, and 

 take out the gills, and at the fame time draw out 

 the ftomach and interline ; this is called drejjlng 

 the herrings ; they are then put into bafkets and 

 carried behind to be poured into large vats with a 

 quantity of fait. In thefe, the herrings and fait 

 are ilirred about, after which the herrings are put 

 into tubs ; but in this flate they could not keep 

 many days, and therefore, when the men cannot 

 return foon to port, they put them into barrels, 

 prefling them together as clofe as poffible. They 

 are often obliged to go through thefe operations 

 in- too great a hurry, on account of bad weather, 

 or for the purpofe of clearing the deck &c. fo that 

 fometimes they corn or barrel herrings, that were 

 not dreffed. There is an order of parliament 

 againft faking or barreling fuch herrings. But, 

 whatever precautions may be taken at fea, the 

 barrels muft be emptied on land, and the herrings 

 made up again with greater care, as will be ex- 

 plained hereafter. 



Of the Salt ufed in the various methods of 

 curing. 



In whatever manner herrings are to be cured, 

 fait mull be ufed, but there are different forts of 

 falt,fome of which are not good for this purpofe. 



The 



