THE SHORES OF BRITAIN. gf 



thousands of pounds, but which, as there was not a 

 sufficient supply of salt in the neighbourhood, were 

 allowed to remain putrefying on the beach until the 

 farmers found leisure to cart them away as manure. 

 One of these strandings took place in and around the 

 harbour of the small town of Crail only a few years 

 ago. The water appeared at first so full of Herrings 

 that half a dozen could be taken by one dip of a 

 basket. Numbers of people thronged to the water's 

 edge, and fished with great success ; and the public 

 crier was sent through the town to proclaim that 

 "caller herrin," that is, Herrings fresh out of the sea, 

 might be had at the rate of forty a penny. As the 

 water rose the fish accumulated, till numbers were 

 stunned, and the rising tide was bordered with fish, 

 with which baskets could be filled in an instant. The 

 crier was, upon this, instructed to alter his note, and 

 the people were invited to repair to the shore, and 

 get Herrings at one shilling a cart-load. But every 

 successive wave of the flood added to the mass of 

 fish, and brought it nearer to the land, which caused 

 a fresh invitation to whoever might be inclined to 

 come and take what Herrings they chose gratis. The 

 fish still continued to accumulate till the height of 

 the flood, and when the water began to ebb, they 

 remained on the beach. It was rather early in the 

 season, so that warm weather might be expected ; 

 and the effluvia of many putrid fish might occasion 

 disease; therefore the corporation offered a reward 

 of one shilling to every one who would remove a full 

 cart-load of Herrings from that part of the shore 

 which was under their jurisdiction. The fish being 



