94 Production of Isinglass on the Coasts of India. 



its quality, without any regard to appearance), a considerable 

 quantity had been sent to England. An account having been receiv- 

 ed of the sale, it appears that this Isinglass realised only Is. *Jd. 

 per lb., which was considerably under its prime cost. Forty-four 

 maunds and ten seers of Fish Sounds having been bought for 

 40 rupees a maund, required an expense of 100 rupees for cleaning 

 after purchase from the fishermen, thus costing altogether about Is. 

 Id. per lb. This quantity, or 2,235 lbs. at Is. Id. per lb., realised 

 £176. 18s. 9d. ; but the charges in India and in England, consisting 

 of packing, demurrage, freight, insurance, shipping charges, export 

 and import duties, ware-house, brokerage, commission, interest, &c, 

 were so heavy, that the whole did not realise quite one-third of the 

 outlay. 



The kinds now sent consist, firstly, of the Isinglass in entire pieces ; 

 secondly, of the same cut into fine shreds ; and, thirdly, some to 

 which a little chalk had been added, to preserve it dry and free from 

 insects. Also four specimens of Isinglass from the Bola Fish. 



These several samples of Bengal Isinglass differ considerably from 

 each other in appearance. Those first received from Messrs. Cantor 

 and Rogers were in oval-shaped pieces, about nine inches in length, 

 and five in breadth, and at least one-quarter of an inch in thickness, 

 opaque, of a brownish colour externally, but beautifully white, even 

 silky-looking, when thin pieces were stripped off.* These speci- 

 mens had little taste or smell, but as they were only few in number, 

 the smell could not be judged of so well as when in bulk. 



Mr. McClelland's specimens vary in length, being from six to 

 twenty-four inches long, about three and four inches broad, and from 

 one-sixth to one-tenth of an inch in thickness. f Whitish in colour, 

 rough in some places apparently from the adhering pieces of mem- 

 branes stripped off, smooth and translucent in others, and oc- 



* These samples consisted of the Isinglass in its natural state, as taken from the 

 fish, and merely cleaned and dried without any attempt to improve the shape and 

 appearance of the article.— ^Ed. 



f These were stretched and altered in shape, by having been passed between 

 rollers, but in other respects they are the same as the specimens received from 

 Messrs. Cantor and Rogers, and came from the same hands. — Ed. 



