Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-15

boat, is to count out 13, 200 herrings. The
vessels are victualled by the owners, and
are also provided with several tons OF salt.
For the herrings taken at Yarmouth are dis
posed of in an entirely different manner
from those secured by the Scottish and
Shetland fishers. The latter sell their
takes" Immediately to "curers," who, at
stations" alongshore "pickle" the herring
according to the old Dutch method, in bar
rels, which, after receiving gov
ernment inspection and brand, are shipped
to the continental market. ALI the herring
taken along the East of England coast are
marketed at Yarmouth, and are either
shipped fresh. in carload. lots, to the Lon
don hshmongers, or are transformed by
sailing and smoking into yarmouth bloat-
ers," for shipment to all parts of the world
in the little pine boxes, which from time
lmmenorial have adorned grocery store
windows.
Rocked In the Cradle of the Deep.
A night with the Yarmouth herring-feet
is replete with interest and often with ex-
cltemeut. On more than one occasion have
!. been rocked in the cradle of the North
Sea in no gentle fashion aboard these
herrlng-smacks. but great storms during the
herrlng-season are rare exceptions. About
4o'clock in the afternoon the mass of smacks
along the quays begin to swarm with men;
and half the city folk, after an old custom,
straggle up and down the quays to witness
the daily departure of the feet. You will
hnd each crew particularly busy laying
on the nets, that is, folding them in q
great level pile in the hold. This is work
OF the greatest nicely, SO that when the nets
are shot" or cast into the sea, they do not
become entangled. While being ''iaid on"
the nets are joined together knotting the
back ropes of each net. The buoys are at
the same time attached.
This done, one by one the fleet, hundreds
upon hundreds of these smacks, drift gently
out of the Yare-mouth, and thence across
the Yarmouth Roads, into the open sea. As
the twilight falls the old city sinks from
sight into its sand.dunes. What at first
was semi-circle of bright color from the
thousands of pleasure seekers along the
beach, gradually merges into line Of rose
above another of white; these blend into a
ribbon of purple; and then the city lights
show like faint, far stars lying across the
horizon, beneath the darkening puppies of
the western sky, the Yarmouth beacon light
blazing brightly above, alongside St.
Nicholas grim, square tower.
Spreading Out the Nets.
Net after net flies over the side, as we |
float with the tide, trailing at least mile |
behind us, like majestic sea serpent, the |
corks and buoys dancing on the waters |
farther than the eye can reach. Then the \
cook calls us below " to the "den" for supper |
A queer little place it is. One can hardly !
stand upright in it. On either side are the
sleeping berths for crew Of eight. There
Is good American stove, and tiny table
at which four of US can sit at one time and |
eat. And how we do eatl Never before
grease, pretty tough bread and black coffee,
tasted SO toothsome aud sweet. Then an
hour or so on deck spinning yarns, and all
low.
About midnight we who remain on watch
try" the nets. A hall dozen or more are
hauled in. Perhaps not single herring is
found. The nets are cast out again. Then
it is drift, driit, DRIFT, until 8 o'clock in the
more than 200 silent smacks in
company, trailing 1000 miles of nets. At
this hour all is commotion throughout the
entire fleet. The daily drawing of the sea-
lottery is at hand. On each smackis stern
IS a machine called the Iron Man."
worked by one man, which hauls in the
'ack-rope over three puIleys, and is equal
% about TWO and one-half mems strength.
Pulling in the wriggling Fishes.
The remainder of the crew are hauling in
he middle and foot of the nets, shaking the
Friggling, silvery, squeaking fish from the
neshes into the hold as the nets come over
he gunwale; the "scummer boy" with his
'scummer," like salmon-landing net, eag-
rly scooping up every herring which by
nlschance drops back into the sea, from
which service his entire wages are secured.
f few fish have been taken, it Is weari-
ONE task hauling in more than half
niles length OF dripping nets. If three or
our or half dozen "lasts" are secured, las is
ften done. the men work under the greatest
1citement and good feeling. Finally, as
'erhaps the dawn is just breaking the en-
ire fleet is heading toward Yarmouth before
spanking breeze. the light-laden, unlucky
raft outspeeding those deep-sunk with their
recIous freights, rendering easy and CHEEKY
be onerousness of tagging behind.
The herrings are disposed of in a jiffy by
uction; csrted to the fish-houses; covered
nth salt for "a hours, and are then washed
n vats by the curers, called towers" Then
hey are spitted through the head upon spits
bout four feet long by women, glib of
ongue and dextrous of fingers, locally
nown as "rivers." From their hands they
re conveyed to the huge "smokehouses,"
here they are hung in tiers in narrow pass
yes from 40 to 80 feet high; and in these
le process Of smoking goes on in gentle i
nudg1ngs, with frequent intermissions,
,veral weeks. They have then become the
ch, juicy, toothsome yarmouth bloaters"
commerce. EDGAR L. WAKEMAN. c