- 18 - 



Preserving fish bj treating them with an antiseptic 

 is perhaps more extensively used than the former 

 method, and is well adapted for Egypt. Fish prepared 

 in this way may remain wholesome for a week or 

 upwards. 

 By salting. Salt Is autiseptlc tb some extent. It is employed in the 



Manufacture ^ 



FEssiKH. manufacture of "fessikh", which means simply salted 

 fish. This industry is largely developed on lake Menzaleh, 

 at the Government Mislaha, Damiettaj and in the yards of 

 the concessionaire of the fisheries at Fort Gameel. Fessikh 

 consists of salted houri, tobar, dness, cloch, and lout, or 

 indeed any scaly fish found in the lake. Scaleless fish 

 are discarded, as salt does not readily penetrate their 

 bodies. 



The fish employed are not necessarily fresh, in fact, 

 nothing short of absolute offensiveness would prevent 

 their use. Fish, which have been salted on the lake by 

 the fishermen themselves are packed in crates immediat- 

 ely after the sale, and are despatched to the retailer with 

 only a further sprinkling of salt. Turmeric powder, or 

 "Korkom" ( ff) is often mixed with the salt used, with 

 the reputed purpose of deceiving the fellaheen into the 

 belief that the fish are very fat ; though, why the fellah 

 should connect fish fat with a yellow colour is not appa- 

 rent. More probaby it is done with the object of masking 

 the condition of the fish. Undoubtedly this kind of fessikh 

 is the worst. The preliminary salting is an extreme 

 measure taken by the fishermen when the wind fails them 

 and the chance is gone for running the catch fresh. 

 Abundant salt is provided by Government boats on the 



