THE HERRING. 



few years ago, but before the new regulations were 

 passed with regard to salt. 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 pro- 

 claim that " callar 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 suc- 

 cessive 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 so 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 

 immediately from the deep water, were in the highest 

 condition, and barely dead. All the salt from the town 

 and neighbourhood was instantly put in requisition, but 

 it did not suffice for the thousandth part of the mass, 

 a great proportion of which, notwithstanding some not 

 very successful attempts to carry off a few sloop loads, 



