NATURAL HISTORY of JV OR IF AY. 157 



Herrings, with thofe fettnings-garn, or fett-nets. This has occa- 

 sioned feveral law-fuits in the country, and at length a general 

 controverfy, which is as much fharper, as it is more important, strong contro- 

 than many of the trifling difputes which engage our learned wri- ver{y: 

 ters. However, the fifhermen and peafants are agreed in this 

 point, namely, that it is the duty of an honefl man to fhut his 

 eyes and ears againft all new difcoveries, and obftinately to infill: 

 upon it, that all things fhould remain as they were in the time 

 of their fore-fathers ; that method being apparently the heft. 

 They have reprefented at the courts of juftice, and at their feveral 

 meetings on this occafion, that nets fright the Cod away, and 

 ought not to be tolerated, but confidered as a pernicious innova- 

 tion. Thefe objeaions, on the other hand, are contradifted by 

 experience, which is the beft inflrudor j for it is undeniable, that 

 fince thefe nets have been ufed, there has been exported from this 

 city, and, in all probability, from other parts of Norway a much 

 greater quantity of Fifh than ever. The truth perhaps' is, that 

 nets, which are very beneficial to the public, may perhaps preju- 

 dice fome few private people ; I mean fuch as either will not, or 

 are not able to furnifh themfelves with thofe expenfive large ones 

 above-mentioned. It is indeed a general, but very true obfer- 

 yation, that the rich and wealthy have frequent opportunities of 

 increafing their wealth, at the expence of the poorer fort of 

 people. What enhances the price of nets is, that when the Winter 

 proves flormy and tempeflous, it deftroys the nets on thefe coafts, 

 to the value of feveral thoufand dollars; which is a very confi- 

 derable lofs to the owners, 



I (hall now give fome account of the feveral methods of curing Va/iousme 

 this Fifh, and making it fit for exportation. They are either thodsofcu - 

 fold as faked Cod, Titling, Roskuer, Rundfisk, or Klipfisk * Sf*SV 

 The firft fort, namely Salt Cod, is thus prepared : after the head P ° rtati ° n " 

 is cut off and the entrails are taken out, it is put into a lar^e 

 tub, and ftrew d over with French fait as it is put in ■ when it 

 has lam about weight days it is taken up, and laid in heaps, for the 

 pickle to run off; then it is packed up in casks, with Spanifh or 

 Portugal fait, the better to preferve it. Titlinger is the name of 

 the leaft fort of Cod, which are only hung up on lines, and fo 



h^ U A nde A th£fG Var '° US nameS ° f dr y' d Cod ' whIch '^ Denmark are all compre- 

 hended under one name, viz. Rock- fifh, there has been exported from this city i/the 

 prdent year,. 1752 during nine months, namely, from the firft of January to the 16A 



of ^^ 3 ^' 804 i, nett f WC,ght L. each W£1 § ht bdn g 36 pounds, befides^ great dea 

 of pickled Cod incalks \ from which may be feen Sie goodnefs of the Creator, and 



lxoo^fro m We T H Gntam A d T ht r N T h fea ' Great ? Uantities of C °d are likewife 

 Ze sanZll ° e 7', p lanfimd ' and S ^nger ; and for this purpofe alone 

 there is annually imported to Bergen 40,000 tons of Spanifh and French fait. 



Part II, S f dryU 



