292 The Herring 



one. Although there may be some doubt as to which 

 is the most valuable from a statistical and financial 

 point of view, the cod or the Herring fishery, there 

 can be no doubt at all as to which is the most ancient 

 and, as far as Europe is concerned, most popular. 

 The Herring has often been proudly dubbed the king 

 of fish, but the name is inappropriate. The Herring 

 is a vulgar fish, beloved by the people, who sniff its 

 fragrant aroma, as, in the guise of the bloater or kipper, 

 it splutters on the gridiron, with lively anticipations 

 of a savoury meal. A fashionable fish it cannot be, 

 because of its cheapness and because of the aroma 

 aforesaid, which, in the eyes or rather the nostrils 

 of poor folk, is one of its chief recommendations. 



The Herring is almost the only fish which the 

 selfish autocrats of our great fish markets allow to 

 be retailed cheaply, and it is no uncommon thing to 

 see fresh Herrings not twenty-four hours from the 

 sea being sold in London streets by the poor man's 

 purveyor, the costermonger, at four and even six a 

 penny, or at less than a penny a pound. And even 

 at that rate there is considerable room for profit 

 between the catcher and the eater. When one boat 

 in a night sometimes draws from the sea over a quarter 

 of a million fish, and could, but for her limited capacity 

 and the fear of breaking the nets, take more than 

 double the quantity, it is easily seen how cheap 

 the fish may be, especially when it is invariably taken 

 near shore. Another thing, although the Herring dies 

 almost instantaneously upon leaving the water, it 

 does not become stale very quickly — that is, there is 

 less difference between Herring just out of the water 

 and those twenty-four hours landed than there is 

 noticeable in almost any other fish under the same 

 conditions. 



