36 HERRING FISHERY. 



the cover of the gills, they take them out with the 

 firfl fingers, and along with them the ftomach and 

 inteftine, fo that nothing remains in the body but 

 the pey or milt. They ufually make a light inci- 

 fion in the neck with a fmall knife, but care mufl 

 be taken not to cut off the head ; for herrings 

 thus mutilated would be thrown among the refufe. 

 According as herrings are prepared in this man- 

 tier, they are put into bafkets, the milt herrings 

 feparately from the pey ones, to be carried over to 

 the man that is to fait them. All the offals are 

 thrown into the fea. 



Of the Salterns bufinefs. 



To frefh. herrings, prepared as we have now 

 defcribed, the falters give a half-faking, fuch as 

 has been explained already. They then throw 

 them without order into calks or large barrels, 

 which they fill up without prefling the herrings, 

 and let them fink by themfelves for fome hours ; 

 after which the coopers put on the heads of the 

 calks. This is called cafking^ or falting in urak. 

 The herrings are left in thefe calks fora fortnight 

 or three weeks. This preparation is much the 

 fame as that, which is ufed at fea. During that 

 period the herrings fink and difcharge their water, 

 and there is formed a brine that covers them. 

 Care muft be taken not to let it flow off, for, if 

 the herrings were left dry, they'd be fpoiled. 



Of 



