- 19 — 



lake, but that means money, and with the additional 

 inducement offered bj a better price being given for fresh 

 fish, the salting is only a /j«s alter to get the fish home in 

 a marketable condition. As might be supposed, the fish 

 are often stale, and the gills, which we take to be indica- 

 tions of freshness, are green and the smell from them 

 is distinctly offensive. An exceptionally bad lot of fish 

 is rejected by the officials of the auction yard, but only to 

 find its way to the poorer natives through illegitimate 

 channels. 



The quality of the fish employed, and the imperfect 

 method of salting them, render the use of this fessikh very 

 harmful, and it is surprising that no steps have been 

 taken to stop its production. 



Fresh fish, and the better quality of salted fish are taken 

 to curing sheds, where till lately there existed very 

 insanitary conditions. Within the past year, however, 

 Government has had erected a number of new sheds, and 

 has even engaged itself in t-he manufacture of fessikh, with 

 a thoroughness which leaves little to be desired, and 

 might serve as a pattern to the slipshod methods of the 

 native fishcurer. In all cases the fish are preserved 

 whole and intact. Small fish are heaped above one 

 another in layers, with a layer of salt between ; larger 

 fish, in addition to the above treatment, have their gill 

 openings stuffed with salt. The heaps are allowed to 

 remain untouched for from three or five days^ at the end 

 of which they are sent out to the retailers. 



The preparation of fessikh is faulty, as is shown, both Fessikh 

 by the quality of fish often used, and by the method of ' some." * 



