FISHES. 873 
undiminished for twenty years, they would exhibit a bulk 
ten times the size of the earth. But, happily, Providence 
has so contrived the balance of nature by giving them 
innumerable enemies. All the monsters of the deep find 
them an easy prey ; and, in addition to these, immense 
flocks of sea-fowl watch their outset, and spread devasta- 
tion on all sides. 
In the year 1773, the Herrings, for two months, were 
in such immense shoals on the Scotch coasts, that it ap- 
pears, from tolerably accurate computations, no fewer 
than one thousand six hundred and fifty boat-loads were 
taken in Loch Torridon in one night. These would, in 
the whole, amount to nearly twenty thousand barrels. 
This fish is prepared in different ways, in order to be 
kept for use through the year. The white, or pickled 
Herrings, are washed in fresh water, and left the space of 
twelve or fifteen hours in a tub full of strong brine, made of 
fresh water and sea-salt. When taken out, they are 
drained, and put in rows or layers in barrels, with salt. 
The red Herrings are prepared in the same manner, 
with this difference, that they are left in the brine double 
the time above mentioned ; and when taken out, placed 
in a large chimney constructed for the purpose, and con- 
taining about twelve thousand, where they are smoked 
by means of a fire underneath, made of brushwood, for 
the space of twenty-four hours. 
