THE DUTCH HERRING. 147 



determine the position of a herring-shoal, lie lias no un- 

 erring signs to guide him. As his boat glides along, 

 however, his crew will give a rapid stampede with their 

 feet, or rattle the anchor, and the noise frightening the 

 fish, the look-out man knows at once by the phosphores- 

 cent "blaze" where to let down his net. But the shoal 

 may drift away too quickly, or its numbers may be scanty, 

 and it is always a matter of uncertainty whether the net 

 will return from the depths well or ill loaded. 



In Holland the herring-fishery is guarded by very 

 minute regulations. On setting out for the expedition, 

 the sailors pledge themselves not to lower a net before 

 the 25th of June, nor after the 1st of January; nor, 

 during the fishery, when the herring is in its prime, to 

 make use of any nets but such as are of the size of mesh 

 regulated and fixed by Government ; and that they will 

 adopt every precaution to secure to the Dutch herring its 

 time-honoured celebrity.* 



As the herrings taken differ very much in quality, 

 even in the same haul, they are carefully sorted, and 

 rubbed with finer or coarser salt according to their merits. 

 The salt, which is procured from Spain, is first dissolved 

 to get rid of impurities, and the solution subsequently 

 evaporated in the sun ; the crystals thus obtained are of 

 different sizes : the prime fish are treated with "gros sel" 

 and the inferior with " petit sel ; " and the greatest care 

 is taken that the two shall not get mingled. The dimen- 

 sions of every pickling cask, as well as the seasoning of 

 the wood, are under the strictest supervision ; and a man, 

 says Badharn, would be held a traitor to his country who 



* Badhara, "Ancient and Modern Fish-Tattle," pp. 324, 325. 



