Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-21

'tCaller (fresh) herring,'' by the Newhaven
fsh-wives themselves. Quest for these delicious
Forth from opposite Newhaven itself TO the open
beyond the famous Bass Rock, the season"
continuing from July IS to September Z. II the
boats are going long distance they depart at
daybreak; if but fifty sixty miles they leave
at noon. In either case they make beautiful
picture against the dark emerald background
of the bold Fifeshire hills to the north. Each
boat carries fleet of from fifty to sixty nets,
each net about sixty yards long and eighteen
yards in width, and the crew of each boat it
passes out to sea are engaged in
''FIsHING DOWN.
which means slowing away the nets in the hold
ready for paying out arrival at the fishing
grounds. Here they drift with the tide until
the instant the sun talks tn HILL that is,
the moment it begins to dis-ppea behind the
horizon. The Joined nets, which are prov ded
with buoys every forty yards, are then shot
in half hours time; white lights are hoisted
that the little craft, which continues to drift
with the tide. may not be run down by passing
channel steamers; supper is had and all, save
one lookout, turn in to their hunks for sleep
until 2 o clock in the morning.
All OF the Newhaven folk live well. 1t is their
boast that not even the gentry excel them. The
women bring from the city good many dam
ties to give variety TO the coarser food; they
noted for cooking fish and always secure the
choicest for their homes and the fisher
men, either short or long cruises, provide
bountiful locker, as know from personal ex-
perience and enjoyment. At every breakfast we
were furnished boiled or mashed potatoes, ham
and eggs, fish, salt fresh, white bread
from the Edlnburgh bakeries, and oceans or tea
with condensed milk. AT dinner appeared that
universal comfort of the Scotch lowly kail-brose
cabbage broth, great platters of duff and
syrup, mountains OF boiled beef and potatoes
and more floods of tea. At supper there were
fresh salt herring, oat-ca kes, cheese and
bread and syrup. AT all times there was
bountiful supply of good butter; and if one De-
came hungry between meals there was always
toothsome smack of cold fish or cold boiled
beef with mammoth chunks OF bread. and
Newhaven people are best seen during the
daily market hours between and in the morn
ing. The harbor surrounded by wall with
sides 500 feet long, forever covered with drying
nets and gear. has only one little entrance; but
into this have come perhaps half hundred
boatloads of fish. As many more boats are
floating idly alongside. Perhaps no more than
100 fishermen will be seen about the boats and
piers; and these are resting contenIedly from
their nights labor at sea. The remainder have
gone home and turned i'm for a good sleep.
The women relieve them of ali responsibility the
moment the boats are locked. They even go SO
far as to carry the purse and dole out what Jock
or Sandy shall spend while ashore. The fish
have been got out of the boats and ranged in
open space of curious old Main street, fronting
the harbor. In this will be seen more than
1000 people, 600 200 of whom are fshwives,
the remainder comprising hucksters, children,
curious tourists, rifraff from Edinburgh and
half dozen blatant auctioneers. These get six
pence per pound s,erling value on sales. All
fish sold outright
TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER
for cash; and if the wives of an entire boat S
crew should be sellers of fish they must pur-
chase their hsh in the open market precisely the
same as any other huckster who may come to buy.
The best prices secured at the earliest hour;
| getting to the guidwives of. Edinburgh before
| breakiast-time, being counted advantage.
There are innumeraole odd characters buying
| here besides the hshwives-weazened old men
| with hand-baskets, women and men with dom
| keys and carts smaller than themselves, saucy
| lads and saucier lasses, bareheaded, barelegged
and brave in their strength and ways. But for
$40 years, just as it win be with those who come
| after them as long as Newhaven, Edinburgh and
| the Firth Of Forth are here the fshwives have
been those who undisturbed and unruffied by
| time and change trundle daily away from New
haven pier with nine-tenths OF all the fish
brought to it from the sea.
Their creels contain from seventy to eighty
pounds of fish, These carried on
| their backs. are held in place by broad leather
straps about tre forehead. Uncountable are the
| skirts they wear. These fall just below the
knees, and two or three of the outer ones are
| gathered back over the hauDshes in volum NOUS
| puffs. Stout, wooden stockings, stout, buckied
| shoes, and stout pea-jacket complete the raj
| ment: save that the married women wear a
l handk erchief, or 'smrtch'' cap, upon their
| heads; while the maiden fshwiyes go bare
\ headed. While at their labors. every article of
! their dress. save cap and shoes, is of dark blue
| wooden goods. II shopping in Edinburgh, or
| when visiting among themselves, their attire is
of wide, gorgeous striped linen. petticoat upon
/ petticoat and their frills, furbelows and Jew.
elry, would sicken even the 'show Glpsles OF
4 Seville with envy. Those who remain at home,
/ and others who during the afternoon have re-
i turned gather in most picturesque groups about
the stairheads Of quaint old Main street. Wnlcn