MU. T. SOUTHWELL ON THE HERRING FISHERY. 
213 
and probably for that reason those who were successful in falling 
in with the fish obtained a ready sale at remunerative prices. 
June and July also produced a few fish; these were of the usual 
good quality of the midsummer Herrings, and sold well. Hut 
most of the ileet are busy at this time fitting out for the North 
Sea voyage, and little is done by the Yarmouth boats. August 
and September produced 2G54 lasts, and then commenced the all 
important autumn voyage. 
Large numbers of Scotch boats, hailing from Montrose, BanfT, 
Leith, Peterhead, Aberdeen, Wick, and Berwick, with others 
from Hartlepool, Shields, Ferryden, &c., make use both of the 
ports of Yarmouth and Lowestoft ; but they are, as a rule, smaller 
boats, carrying fewer hands and not so expensively equipped as 
the home boats. The result is that they take fewer fish. But, as 
their expenses are considerably less than those of the home boats, 
they will make a fair profit on their catches, when our men are 
actually losing money. They also watch the weather, and as they 
do not go so far afield, but land all their fish fresh, they 
always have the pick of the market. From the first, fish came in 
slowly, and, in consequence, sold well, the quality, too, being all 
that could be desired. On the 20th of October a few Herrings, 
brought in by a mackerel boat, are said to have realised at the rate 
of fifty guineas a last, while the next day small “bloater stuff” 
produced £13 IDs., and larger £28 10s. per last; but these were, of 
course, exceptional prices. Then came bad weather which interrupted 
the fishing and confined the Scotch boats to port ; but this was 
only temporary, and the week ending November 5th saw 2243 
lasts landed, one day only (31st October) producing 836 lasts, the 
largest quantity on any one day of the season. All these fish, 
more than eleven millions, w r ere counted, in handfuls of four, in 
one day ! This was a red-letter day for the labourers, who had 
hitherto fared but badly. Prices varied considerably, but were 
fairly remunerative. 
With the November moon should come the finest catches of 
Herring during the whole season. This event came in on the 12th, 
the moon being at the full on the 26th, but unfortunately it was 
attended on and after the 17th by dull, foggy weather, to which, 
on the 25th, gales of wind with rain and snow had to be added, 
commencing the memorable spell of severe weather which lasted 
