40 THE HEE!RING "in HOLLAND. 



pickled herring. One requires to be among the Dutch when 

 the arrival of the new fish takes place, to understand the uni- 

 versal love of the people for the herring. It is wonderful to 

 note the enthusiasm which is developed the moment it becomes 

 known that the new fish have come to hand. A fast vessel 

 brings in the first fruits of the cure from the ocean fleet, and 

 lo ! the people burst into a demonstration. At one time they 

 used to deck the steeple of Vlaardingen Church — ^Vlaardingen 

 is now the chief herring port — and ring a J03rful peal of bells. 

 The curers and shipowners decked their houses with flowers j 

 and persons who sold the fish decorated theii signboards, in 

 order to let the public know that the newly-cured delicacy had 

 arrived. Then rival curers sent oflF a sample of their herrings to 

 the king ; and many a rapid race has been run to the Hague, 

 in order to have the honour of bemg first in the field, and so 

 obtain the reward of five hundred guilders which were given on 

 the occasion. There is j^ot now, I believe, so much outward 

 demonstration ; but the first fruits of the fishery are as valuable 

 as ever, a single herring often costing a couple of guilders ! Her- 

 rings are usually served raw ia Holland, with a sauce of vinegar, 

 cucumber, etc. ; they are also dressed with salad, and are like- 

 wise eaten au natwrd. No stranger should leave Holland with- 

 out making trial of the national dish ; it is as delicious in its 

 way as the Scotch kipper herring, or as the exquisite broiled 

 fresh herring of Lochfyne, and almost beats the famous " split- 

 bellies " of the Moray Firth fishing towns. 



It is curious that whUe the State has ceased to iuterfere in 

 any way with the herring fishery, the size of the mesh, the 

 mode of fishing, and aU other details, being left to the honour 

 of the boat owners, it still regulates with jealous care the cure 

 of the fish. The curing laws are carried out as rigorously as 

 ever : the captains are sworn to do their duty in seeing that the 

 herrings are properly cured. Scottish herrings — and it is in 

 Scotland we now find the really " great " flfiheiy for the poor 

 man's fish — are cured on shore. Dutch herrings, again, are 

 cured on board the vessel that captures them; and there is no 

 question but that their cured herrings are superior to ours, 

 although I think they would be stiU better if Government 

 would let them alone, and let each curer stand or fall by the 

 perfection of his individual cure. It is certain that a great 

 deal of pains is taken with the manipulation of the herring on 

 board the Netherland busses ; and at one time the Dutch mode 



