THE FROZEN-HERRING INDUSTRY. 455 



thoroughly and found one of the shovels, the remainder of the goods having probably been thrown 

 overboard while we were below." 



The herring are carefully packed loose in the vessel, the hold, and even the cabin, being 

 completely filled, the crew usually living in the forecastle on the homeward passage. Formerly 

 the fish were packed in frozen snow, or a considerable quantity of snow was placed around the 

 sides of the hold and the fish heaped together in the middle ; but, for many years, this practice 

 has been wholly abandoned, as it is found that the fish will keep equally well without the use of 

 snow. A quantity of straw, however, is sometimes placed around the sides of the hold, and is 

 scattered among the fish to a limited extent. 



The quantity carried by the vessels engaged in the trade varies considerably. The largest 

 schooners often carry cargoes of five or six hundred thousand fish, while the smaller ones engaged 

 in the New Brunswick trade often carry less than a hundred thousand. The average cargo for the 

 entire fleet would be 250,000 to 300,000. 



At Eastport, a large trade has sprung up between the dealers and the local fishermen. Many 

 of the dealers have large wooden platforms at some convenient point near the harbor, where the 

 fish are spread and frozen, after which they are stowed in buildings lined with sawdust, to be 

 kept until a market offers. They are then packed in rough barrels and shipped to different portions 

 of the country, some going as far west as Cincinnati or Chicago. 



7. MARKETS. 



FROZEN HERRING FOR BAIT. As has already been said, the frozen-herring trade originated 

 with Capt. Henry O. Smith, in the winter of 1854-'55, his object in making the experiment being 

 to supply the vessels engaged in the George's Bank cod fishery with bait. At this time the vessels 

 engaged in the spring fisheries were provided with gill-nets for catching their own bait, and it was 

 customary for them to proceed to the outer edge of the bank, where they remained for several 

 days setting their nets to secure a supply, after which they proceeded to the shoaler parts of the 

 bank to engage in fishing. It frequently happened that herring were scarce at this season, and 

 more time was consumed in catching the bait than in using it. 



Captain Smith succeeded in selling 500 fish to each of three vessels that were about to sail, 

 and in addition sold a few to the boat-fishermen of the region. He was, however, obliged to carry 

 the remainder of his catch to Boston for a market. The three vessels thus provided with bait 

 secured large fares and made quick trips, and frozen herring at once came into general favor in 

 this fishery. For many years, however, the fishermen took only a limited quantity, depending 

 largely, or in part, upon their nets for their supply. They continued to buy more herring each 

 season and to depend less upon their nets, till about 1804, when nets were wholly thrown aside 

 and the entire trip was secured with frozen bait. 



At this time from 5,000 to 8,000 fish were taken by the average George's-man for a trip of 

 two to three weeks. Gradually the quantity of bait Las been increased, and the vessels have 

 remained longer upon the fishing grounds, until now the average George's-man takes from 15,000 

 to 18,000 fish for a "baiting," while an occasional vessel will use 20,000. 



If the fish are to be sold for bait the vessel anchors in the middle of the harbor on her arrival, 

 and hoists her flag in the rigging as a signal that bait may be secured. The captains of the dif- 

 ferent vessels soon come aboard to examine the fish and to arrange for purchase. If several 

 " baiters " are in the harbor at the same time a lively competition is apt to occur, and prices are 

 lowered accordingly. To avoid this reduction they usually agree upon a definite price, but it fre- 

 quently occurs that, though they charge according to agreement, they give the captain or owners 



