HERKING. 101 



to sigh over the surface, and, before we had 

 cleared the outer back ropes, the sea breeze came 

 curling the midnight wave. The tide was flowing 

 fast, and, having stepped the mast, we spread our 

 large lug, and the light galley slipped speedily 

 ashore." 



Red herrings are prepared by salting and soak- 

 ing in brine for several days, and then drying in 

 rooms heated by wood fires. Bloaters are her- 

 rings only slightly cured. The annual supply 

 of herrings at Billingsgate Market is estimated 

 at upwards of 120,000 tons, valued at about 

 .1,200,000 sterling. A barrel contains 550 fish, 

 and is Avorth 1 12s. At Yarmouth alone the 

 annual consumption of salt used in curing her- 

 rings amounts to 10,000 tons. 



There is a curious custom at Yarmouth, by 

 which the town is bound to send to the sheriffs 

 of Norwich a hundred herrings, which are to be 

 baked in twenty-four pies or pasties, and thence 

 -delivered to the lord of the manor of East Carle- 

 ton, who is to convey them to the king. They 

 are still sent to the clerk of the kitchen at St. 

 James's. In 1778 the sheriff of Norwich at- 

 tended with them in person and claimed the fol- 



