ENGLISH FISHERIES. 139 



September. It has been thought that the fish then 

 taken must be the same as were on the coast in July ; 

 but it is difficult to understand how this should be the 

 case, or if it be so, why the herrings should entirely 

 disappear for six or seven weeks, and then show 

 themselves in nearly the same locality, or even far- 

 ther out. It is clear, however, that there must be 

 vast additions to their numbers, even if some of the 

 shoals be the same, for the autumn fishery is far larger 

 than the others, and most of the fish are in spawning 

 condition. 



The connection of Yarmouth with the herring fishery 

 dates from the time when the first houses of the town 

 were built, if we may credit the traditions and records 

 on the subject ; and considerable interest attaches to 

 the fishery on that account. Without going into the 

 earliest accounts of the fishery as given by Swinden 

 and Manship, there is no doubt that it was well esta- 

 blished when Henry I. granted a charter to the town 

 in 1108. It is therefore certain that the Yarmouth 

 herring fishery has been carried on for at least 750 

 years ; and no more conclusive argument can be brought 

 forward in reply to those persons who believe our fish- 

 eries are becoming exhausted, than the fact that the 

 most abundant fisheries which have been obtained by 

 the Yarmouth men, have been within the last ten 

 years. It is worthy of note also, that the earliest re- 

 cords of this fishery speak of the fishermen and buyers 

 assembling from various places about the Feast of 

 St. Michael (the 29th of September) at the place 

 where Yarmouth now stands, so that the commence- 



