148 YARMOUTH HERRINGS. 



should put one poor fish in a barrel devoted to the 

 superior kind, or disobey in the slightest particular a 

 beneficent code of laws, framed alike for the advantage of 

 himself and of the world at large : a big official seal 

 stamped upon each barrel coronat opus, and vouches to 

 the public that no precaution has been neglected or pains 

 spared ; and if it should ever happen, which is not within 

 the range of probability, that a bad barrel bore such a 

 seal, the national faith of Holland would be considered 

 irretrievably compromised. 



The Scotch herrings, however, are similarly " branded;" 

 and we are of opinion that their best " brands " are equal 

 to any which Holland produces. Few herrings equal, 

 says Badham, and none can surpass in flavour, a " Loch 

 Fyne fresh ; " whilst for those who like savoury salt pro- 

 visions, a " Yarmouth bloater " may be recommended in 

 preference to any Dutch or other foreign bronzed clupeaii 

 of distinction. 



Yarmouth sends one hundred herrings, baked in twenty 

 pies or pasties, to the Sheriff at Norwich, to be delivered 

 to the clerk of the Royal Kitchen. The Popes, it is said, 

 are sagaciously partial to them, and recommend them 

 strongly to the faithful. Whence the fishermen at Yar- 

 mouth and Lowestoft are accustomed to drink the follow- 

 ing liberal toast : 



" Here's to his Holiness the Pope, with his triple crown, 

 With nine dollars each for each cask in the town. " 



A very considerable herring-fishery is carried on in 

 the Hebridean waters, and more especially off Skye, 

 Barra, and Long Island. At one period the herring 

 appeared in immense shoals in every loch and bay which 

 intersect these isles, and the natives caught it in large 



