vigorous blow applied on a cutting instrument of sheet metal fastened to a 

 table, the "guillotine". The tongue being saved to be put in a barrel and salt- 

 ed for the crew, the fish then passes to the splitter. 



Splitting is, with salting, a most delicate operation with the cod. Great 

 steadiness of hand is required which is acquired with long practice. It is usu- 

 ally done by the captain, the fishing mate or the second mate. 



Seizing the headed cod by the left hand enclosed in a leather glove, the 

 splitter slices it to the tail by a single pass with a special knife, cutting to the 

 desired depth so that the fish lies flat. He cuts out then the spine, at some 

 distance from the beginning of the tail, pulling out the upper part but leaving 

 the remainder to give firmness to the fish. 



After splitting, the cod passes to the hands of the ship's boys and appren- 

 tice-seamen. They wash the fish, eliminating all traces of blood by pressing 

 strongly on the back section and scraping the flesh with a gouge- shaped instru- 

 ment. Immediately after, it is carefully washed in a tub where the water is 

 constantly renewed by means of a small hand pump; then it is placed on a 

 slide conveying it to the hold, the domain of the Salter. 



The latter, a major office, exercises a role of greatest importance, for 

 on the manner in which the fish is salted depends the qualities of preserva- 

 tion. As the functions of the Salter are trusted only to specialists of great ex- 

 perience, they are sought for by the outfitters as good captains. 



The first act of the salter is to lift each cod by the tail with the left hand. 

 Instantly judging the weight, he rubs vigorously with salt with the right hand; 

 then, having laid it head against tail on the last fish on the pile, he takes in a 

 wooden scoop a quantity of salt exactly proportional to the weight of the fish 

 and covers it with an even layer. The following fish are treated in the same 

 way, one on another until, a limiting height having been reached, a new pile 

 is started beside the last. 



After three or four days of draining, favored by the weight of the cod thus 

 piled, the salter proceeds to the final stowing by tiers, each tier of fish re- 

 placing the stored salt, after the latter is cleared away. This stowing starts 

 preferably toward the stern of the vessel. 



The salter proceeds with this operation with the greatest care, the cod 

 being piled skin side down, so as to lay one on the other very flat without fold 



89 



