COD FISHERY. ^ 69 



whole fkin with fait, and lay them in a particular 

 part of the middle deck, or of the hold, in fuch a 

 manner, that their tails ilope downwards ; cover 

 them with a bed of fait, and lay others over them 

 and along fide of the firit. Let them remain thus 

 piled together, fo that the water and blood may 

 run off, for twenty-four or forty-eight hours, ac- 

 cording as time will allow. 



When the blood and water are fufficiently dif- 

 charged, give the fifh a full faking, for which pur- 

 pofe they are to be removed from the place they 

 were in, and ranged in piles, in the middle deck, or 

 in the hold. To form thefe piles, or layers, make 

 a floor of pieces of wood, or of dry branches of 

 trees, covered with matts, on which lay a bed of 

 fait. The firfl layer confifls of the offals, which 

 generally belong to the crew. Then place the cod- 

 fifli in rows, and between each layer throw a bed of 

 fait, fo as to prevent their touching one another ; 

 however, there muft not be too much fait, as it 

 would injure the filh. 



A great deal depends upon the fldll and atten- 

 tion of the falters. The Normans and Bretons 

 engage ikilful men for this employment, at a good 

 falary, but fome entrufl the fliip-boys with it. 

 In large veffels, two men are employed, one of 

 whom attends to the firft faking, and the other, to 

 the full one ; but in fmall veffels, one man does 

 both ; fome of them place the large cod in the firfl 

 rows, then the middling ones, and the fmall ones 



on 



