MR. T. J. WIGG ON THE HERRING FISHERY. 
51 
came too late, as the merchants had left for the south. The 
fishing off North Shields, Scarborough, and Grimsby appears to 
have suffered in like manner. The Yarmouth or Home Voyage 
was about three weeks later than usual in making a beginning, but 
the Herrings remained on the coast longer ; indeed, several boats 
fished quite up to December 22nd, which was very unusual. 
The failure of the Scotch fishing was mainly responsible for the 
high average prices made by the Herring during the Yarmouth 
voyage. Speaking generally, the Herrings were not of such a high 
quality as in former years. 
Hero are a few facts to show how remarkable the season of 
1890 was : — 
I. There was not a single night during the voyage when it was 
impossible to fish owing to rough weather. 
II. Herrings in greater numbers than ever were pickled and 
exported to Russia, Germany, Holland, and other parts of Europe, 
while large quantities of cured Herrings (known as “Reds”) were 
exported to the United States, Egypt, the Levant, Italy and 
Jerusalem, or Jericho. 
III. Scarcely an instance is recorded of loss of, or damage to, 
gear. This is quite unique, as is also the fact that during the 
whole season only three lives were lost. 
IV. There was not, as in previous years, a great glut on one 
or two days, but there was a large steady delivery throughout the 
season, and prices ruled high, whether deliveries were large or small. 
V. The extraordinary scenes witnessed on the South Denes, 
where nearly 800 Scotch girls and women were busily employed 
in preparing the Herrings for export by gilling and drawing them 
in preparation for the barrels into which they are packed. The 
women are remarkably adroit, and perform their work in about 
one-third of the time required by our local women. 
In addition to the females engaged, there was a great number of 
men who were very busy in heading the barrels after they had 
been tilled with “ Matties,” as the prepared Herrings are called. 
These operations were occasionally carried on into the night, and 
the sight of the Denes, with the Hare of the flickering paraffin 
lamp, the glare of the electric light, the women and men working 
as hard as possible, and the noise of carts and carters, made a scene 
which was at once grotesque and weird. 
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