THE SHORES OF BRITAIN. 87 
thousands of pounds, but which, as there was not a 
sufficient supply of salt in the neighbourhood, were 
allowed to remain putrefying on the beach until the 
farmers found leisure to cart them away as manure. 
One of these strandings took place in and around the 
harbour of the small town of Crail only a few years 
ago. The water appeared at first so full of Herrings 
that half a dozen could be taken by one dip of a 
basket. Numbers of people thronged to the water’s 
edge, and fished with great success; and the public 
crier was sent through the town to proclaim that 
“caller herrin,” that is, Herrings fresh out of the sea, 
might be had at the rate of forty a penny. As the 
water rose the fish accumulated, till numbers were 
stunned, and the rising tide was bordered with fish, 
with which baskets could be filled in an instant. The 
crier was, upon this, instructed to alter his note, and 
the people were invited to repair to the shore, and 
get Herrings at one shilling a cart-load. But every 
successive wave of the flood added to the mass of 
fish, and brought it nearer to the land, which caused 
afresh invitation to whoever might be inclined to 
come and take what Herrings they chose gratis. The 
fish still continued to accumulate till the height of 
the flood, and when the water began to ebb, they 
remained on the beach. It was rather early in the 
season, so that warm weather might be expected ; 
and the effluvia of many putrid fish might occasion 
disease; therefore the corporation offered a reward 
of one shilling to every one who would remove a full 
cart-load of Herrings from that part of the shore 
which was under their jurisdiction. The fish being 
