OSSEOUS PISHES. 
549 
“ belong principally to the Ports of Granville arid St. Breuc ; and the 
crews of tbeir ships consist of two very distinct elements ; the smaller 
portion, being specially raised among the fishermen properly so called, 
they form the aristocracy on hoard ; to these are added a larger number 
of mere labourers, who are landed on the arrival of the vessel at her 
port. Their functions are limited to receiving the fish from the 
boats, opening it, washing off the glutinorrs matter in the cliauffant, 
putting the liver apart, and laying out the split fish between the layers 
of salt ; finally, subjecting it to the different phases of the drying 
process on the strand. 
“ The chauffant is a shed raised upon piles, standing one half in the 
water and one half on shore ; it is constructed of planks and posts, 
through which the air is suffered to circulate freely, hut covered in with 
some of the ship’s sails. Here the process of separating the intestines 
from the body of the fish, and the salting process, are carried on, in the 
midst of an atmosphere charged with all manner of disgusting smells, 
for the labourer is by no means delicate, and never thinks of removing 
the disgusting impurities which he is creating. There he stands, knife 
in hand, tearing and cutting out intestines and separating vertebrae, 
his only care being to avoid cutting himself, which is the chief danger 
he runs, in the midst of odours sufficient to produce suffocation. 
“ Connected with the platform on which this rough operation is per- 
formed is a cauldron, sunk in the earth, to receive the oil pressed out 
of the liver. This cauldron is surmounted by a roof some nine feet in 
height, in the form of an inverted cone. Here the oil which flows 
from the open way above is suffered to ferment, after which it is drawn 
off into casks. 
“ The drying sheds, formerly of wood, are now constructed of stone, 
and in places well exposed to the sun, and especially to the wind, 
artificial or otherwise. The sun, it is said, does not dry, but scorches ; 
the wind, on the other hand, marvellously fulfills the purpose, and in 
order to avoid the one and court the other, an apparatus has been in- 
vented, consisting of long movable branches, which can be inclined 
so as to bring the wind directly upon the row of cod, in connection 
with the sun’s rays, which are, indeed, not very formidable in this 
foggy region.” 
The cod-fish thus dried at Newfoundland are forwarded for con- 
sumption to all parts of the world ; hut only a small part of the 
