380 MR. T. SOUTHWELL ON THE HERRING FISHERY. 
assured that it is only their size that enables them to hold their 
place for a moment in the market. In February about 40 lasts 
Avere landed chiefly at Lowestoft ; but as they iverc caught some 
fifty miles from port, and did not arrh^e in A^ery fine condition, 
the price Avas not very remunerative. 
In klarch the Spring Fisher}^ Avas in full swing, and large 
numbers of Herring Avore occasionally brought in by the LoAvestoft 
boats (on the 15th 80 lasts Avere landed). The quality generally 
very poor, but on one occasion as much as 5s. 7d. per hundred 
(£27 18s. 4d. per last) Avas realised for fresh fish, the price 
depending entirely on the demand for bait. During Ajiril 
940 lasts Avere landed at LoAvestoft, the supply varying greatly, 
and the prices fluctuating in a corresponding degree. Early 
in May both prices and quality Avere very Ioav ; on the 12th 
of that month I saAV large quantities of Herring haAvked about 
the streets of Noi'Avich at eight for a penny, and dear at the jrrice ; 
but tOAvards the end of the month, both (j^uality and price 
improved very much. The spring Amyage shoAvs a return of 
2337 lasts for LoAvestoft, and 480 lasts for Yarmouth. 
The summer voyage Avas very satisfactory to the LoAvestoft 
people, and good prices, as a rule, Avere realized. The bulk of 
the Herring taken by the Yarmouth boats in the North Sea 
voyage in the month of August are brought home salted, the 
consequence being that the Yarmouth market is flooded Avith salt 
fish in that month Avhen it is almost impossible to cure them 
owing to the heat and the oily nature of the fish ; Avhereas the 
LoAvestoft boats work more for the fresh fish market, and land 
their catches principally at Scarboro, Shields, or Grimsby, during 
tlie months of August and September ; but as there is practically 
no market for salted Herrings at LoAvestoft, many of the boats 
belonging to that port dispose of their cargoes at Yarmouth. 
The quantity landed at Yarmouth Avas 1G54 lasts, and at LoAvestoft 
482 lasts. 
During the Autumn Fishery, the usual fluctuations in supply 
occurred, accompanied by the usual extreme variations in price, 
from £2 10s. or less to £22 per last, and on one day from 
5s. per hundred (fresh fish are sold by the Ivandred) early in 
the morning, to lOd. for the same quantity later in the day, 
when the market became over-stocked by fresh arrivals ; stormy 
