Chapt. xvii. Curing fish. 237 



"Sprinkle salt on the inner side of the fish, and lay 

 "one over the other in piles of about three dozen. 



"In an hour, if the fish are small, in two hours if they 

 "prove large, they will be sufficiently salted, when they 

 "may be placed on a grating, or hung in the air to dry. 



"When perfectly free from all moisture — say in four 

 "or five days' time — they may be lashed up in bundles 

 "of a couple of dozen each. While drying, place them 

 "under cover at night, or the dews will considerably re- 

 "tard the progress of the work. 



"The process above described is not as tedious as it 

 "reads; two or three hands can, after a little practice, 

 "clean, split, and salt many dozens in an hour. 



"If, when very lightly broiled and well peppered, a 

 "piece of butter is rubbed over them, and they are dish- 

 "ed hot for breakfast, they will prove as delicious, deli- 

 "cate, and appetizing, as when, with their tails through 

 "their eyes, they are served in their pretty pale brown 

 "crumb-and-egg jackets." 



* "If fish are found to have become unpleasantly salt, 

 "they should be toasted first, and being placed in a basin 

 "and kept at the bottom, let boiling water be poured on 

 "them for two minutes, after which a little butter should 

 "be rubbed over them immediately, which method will 

 "extract any superabundance of salt." 



The mode in which sardines are prepared in oil is 

 given as follows in the "World of the Sea" by Rev. H. 

 Martyn Hart, m. a. "When they come from the boats, they 



* The Sea Fisherman, by J. C. Willoocks. 



