MR. T. SOUTHWELL ON THE HERRING FISHERY. 79 
prospect was cheerless in the extreme. The Lowestoft trade was 
oven worse : and early in October herrings were selling, owing to 
the “miniature character” of the fish, at £2 10.s., i!l, or even 
10s. a last; and the shoals from which they ivere taken were so 
numerous, that several of the boats are said to have lost half, or 
even more than half, of their nets, so heavily were they laden ; 
and yet, when a few good fish did arrive, they fetched very 
remunerative price.s. 
Large as the deliveries continued to be, the 4th of Xovember 
exceeded anything which had previously been known both at 
Yarmouth and Lowestoft. At the former port the scene was most 
exciting: “at the wharf the boats were lying live or six deep,” 
and many had to be brought quite up the river as far as the Haven 
Bridge, and it was near miilnight before the whole of the 240 
boats which came in had discharged. It is believed that at least 
1300 lasts were landed, equal to 17,160,000 fish ! At Lowestoft 
the scene was also very exciting, and a very large quantity of fish 
was landed. All the boats arrived with good catches, many with 
10 or 12 hists, and one boat is said to have brought in 14 lasts of 
fish. The fish w’cro of excellent quality, and are said to have 
averaged £5 10s. per last. The large deliveries continued, and 
the official return shows that o<518 lasts were landed at the 
Y'armouth Fi.sh-wharf alone in the week ending the 8th November. 
The shoals were just off the town of Y'armouth ; and the fish 
arrived so fresh, that they presented a beautiful appearance, the 
heaps glistening in the sunlight, and displaying all the hues of the 
rainbow. 
Towards the end of November the quantities of fish began to 
fall off j and the middle of December brought to a close, perhaps 
the most remarkable season ever experienced, and one that will 
long be remembered as most disastrous both to boat-owners, 
curers, and fishermen. 
The number of boats sailing ll’om Y'armouth and Lowestoft was 
about 620, employing some 0500 men and boys. About 400 Scotch 
and North Country boats also used those ports, manned by about 
2800 hands all told. 
The joint produce of the two local ports for the year 1884 
artloUnted to 38,258 lasts, equal to 505,005,000 fish — a number 
which it is impossible to grasp. These numbers may be relied 
