134 CHKONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 



during two mouths of the year, — namely, September and 

 October, — there are 40,000 vessels, each having at least 

 six persons to fish, besides 500 vessels for gutting and 

 packing, and that there are more than 300,000 men who 

 do nothing but fish herrings."* 



In 1124 we read that herrings were so abundant on 

 the coasts of Pomerania that a horse load was given for 

 one ore, a coin of about the value of three farthings.f 



In the years 1242 and 1348 the herring-fishery on the 

 coast of Denmark occasioned two long and bloody wars be- 

 tween Denmark and the Hanse towns, — the latter, with 

 Lubeck at their head, generally obtaining the superiority. 



The Hollanders commenced fishing herrings in the 

 Meuse in the year 1163. J 



Some writers § state that William Beukelz or Beukelsen, 

 born at Biervliet, in Brabant, was the first person who 

 invented the art of salting or pickling herrings. The 

 historians difii'er as to the time and place of his birth ; 

 some say that he was born at Biervliet, others at En- 

 chuysen ; some that he was born in 1847, others in 1397. 



It is not difiicult to prove, however, that herrings were 

 salted long before that period ; for besides the instances 

 already given, we find that a law was made at Niew- 

 Port exempting salt herrings from paying duty on account 

 of the salt and barrels used in pickling, long previous to 

 Beukelsen's pretended invention. || 



Professor Valenciennes, in his edition of Cuvier's 

 " Hist. Nat. du Poissons," vol. xx. p. 112, says, " that the 

 earliest notice discovered in France regarding the her- 



* Philip de Mazieres, Vecil Pelerin. f Vita Sancta Ottonis, p. 73. 



I Kronik. van Holland, i. 184. 



§ Schoockins, Belg. fad. lib. viii. chap. ii. 221, and Pontanus Discuss. 

 Hist., 74. 



Ij Placaat von Fiaiid, vi. 429. 



