CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 251 



" ' The herrings being brought in the boats alongside 

 the quay, or near the curing place, are lifted with wooden 

 shovels into a wooden measure without a bottom, called a 

 cran (which measure is branded by the fishery officer, and 

 must contain 36 gallons). The cran is previously placed 

 on the cart or place where the herrings are to be de- 

 livered, and upon lifting up the measure, the same hav- 

 ing no bottom, the herrings are thereby emptied out of 

 it without the trouble of tumbling them out, as would 

 have to be the case if it had a bottom. The herrings are 

 then conveyed to the curing yard or shed, and are placed 

 in square pits or in heaps ; they are then gutted (almost 

 always now in Scotland with a knife), by taking out the 

 gills and stomach, and those who cure in imitation of 

 the Dutch leave the appendices coeci, or crown gut, as it 

 is considered to impart a richer flavour to the herring ; 

 they are then roosed (sprinkled with salt), and, there- 

 after, those employed in packing put a quantity of salt 

 in the bottom of the barrel, and a layer of herrings is 

 then closely laid together on their sides (if, in imitation 

 of the Dutch, nearly on their backs) ; and, alternately, a 

 portion of salt and a layer of herrings, until the barrel 

 is properly packed. After remaining three or five days 

 the barrel is again opened, when the herrings are found 

 floating in pickle ; the superabundant pickle is poured 

 off, and an additional quantity of herrings to fill up the 

 cask is packed in ; a quantity of salt is then laid on the 

 top of all, and the barrel is headed up, and it is then 

 ready for branding. According to the existing British 

 fishery laws, such barrels must be marked * * * to 

 show the month and day the herrings were taken, cured, 

 and packed, and the mode of gutting and the year, as 

 w^ell as the name and residence of the curer. 



