16 



QLAFSEN AND POVELSEn's 



the poor people would not change this butter for the best 

 salt kind in the world. It is worthy of observation,, that they 

 here make butter equally as well from the milk of sheep, as 

 from that of cows, either by mixing the cream, or by keeping it 

 separate. When made only of sheep-milk, the butter is whiter, 

 and sooner turns acid. They are, however, too much in the 

 habit of putting salt to the butter when in a state of fermenta- 

 tion, by which, in a short time, it acquires a disagreeable taste, 

 and finally becomes so bad, as to be useless : it is this kind of 

 butter that they export. When the sour butter is too old, it loses 

 in its acidity and weight, dries up, and acquires a rancid taste. 

 If melted when in this state, it does not give more than half its 

 ordinary portion of oil. 



OF STEEPED OR MACERATED FISH. 



The peasants, and even persons of respectability, never eat 

 the cod-fish m its fresh state, but dress it only when it has at- 

 tained a certain degree of putrefaction. The Icelanders are not 

 the only people amongst whom this custom prevails, as it is fol- 

 lowed by several of the Northern tribes who inhabit the coast. 

 They adopt the same method with other fish of large kinds, whose 

 flesh is tough, but principally with the Gadus lined laterali ni- 

 gra, and with the large common thorn-back, (Ray a vulgaris 

 maxima) which they consider as unwholesome and disgusting 

 when fresh, on account of their long and hard filaments : they, 

 however, eat, as soon as caught, the small species of fish, such 

 as trout, soles, and others of a delicate flavour. It is only the 

 two above-mentioned kinds that they hang on poles in their drying- 

 room, which is a hut impermeable to the rays of the sun ; by 

 this process, the fish acquires a bitterish taste. After hanging a 

 fortnight, three weeks, or even longer, if the weather be not too hot, 

 the fish attains a very alkaline smell ; and the muscles and fila- 

 ments are then soft and digestible ; if, on the contrary, the fish be 

 exposed beyond the proper time, it becomes corrupt, the muscles 

 separate, and it is no longer eatable. From this statement we 

 may know how far the accounts of travellers are to be relied on, 

 w hich state, that the Icelanders live upon stinking fish ; on the 

 contrary, it is only the largest kind of cod-fish, that they steep, 

 in order to cause the fermentation of the nauseous and indigestible 

 juices which they contain in their fresh state. It might even be 

 asked, whether it would not be inimical to health to eat these 

 fish soon after being caught ; and this might give rise to another 

 question, why, for example, in the greater part of Europe, they 

 do not eat game till it has been kept, and acquired a strong taste. 

 We think, that the conduct of the Icelanders, with respect to 

 their fish, is the same as that of other people in keeping game, 



