Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-27
sAnDrsE FISHING AND CANNING,
Curious Festures-No One Ever saw
Live sardiae Out Of water.

nished boxes labelled ''Sardines Phui'e'
fabrication 1885" But where DO the
sardines come from? Certainly not tro"
Nantes. They come from ouioeron,
pousrncnez, Concarneau, Croisics Anu
especially from Belle Isle.
Tho sardine fishing season commences
at the beginning OF June. AS soon as 'hs
fishermen OF the coast OF Brittany ho.i.s
shoals OF porpolses or fiocks OF sefsu''
or shore In great numbers they I'M
mediately make sail, for the sardne ~
there birds and porpoises locate him. Inc
building and repairing OF the sardine
fishing-boats during what is called inc
dead season give employment 10 sre1.
many workmen. As a rule, they eIo
ten-touners, with a crew OF from SIX "
ten men. The captain and the mate arc
the only professional fishermen on ooare,
the Others are men OF all trades. lno
outfit consists exclusively Of nets with
very small meshcs. and their iength ~
from, 100 20 500 metres. The upper par's
of the nets arc kept upon the suriaec "a
the water by corks and the entire macnine
is held rigid by pieces or ieao AT '"o
bottom. The nets are all STAINED SUI
of sea-green color, 10 render thenf ICES
visible. a.
When the first school or sardines 10
noticed the boats all run 20 the ilsnlns
grounds. The exact presence or the isn
ie determined by an oily substance on the
surface OF the water. and also py con-
siderable quantity OF little scales, WHICH
Give the water metallic appearance.
I'm calm weather as soon as the captain
has his boat Immediately over the smear
he lowers his nets. and two men OF me
crew. with great oars, work steaoiiy 70
keen the boat stationary, whie tne olnciS
lower the nets Standing at the stern
NJ the boat the captain throws the cnuni
overheard The chum Is a bait made OF
the eggs OF the Goldfish. and II keeps tno
ash In the desired place. spot that IL
well halted i'm this way Is called ia1ueh
ir french. and the casting or the chum
Is called bailler. ,o,,-
In a few moments. n the fish are pien-
-, oo,y Quantities OF scales float upon
tbe surface and the net itself Is agitated
by tho struggles OF the immense numoer
of fish. Then it is lifted, ana whiie III"
sails are again hoisted and the boat
pointed for shore the men or the ere"
shake the nets and toss the hsh upon tne
deck.
crrious thing about this kind OF
fishing "a that one rarely sees living
sardine out of the water. The fish make
a little squeak when taken from the
wafer and die instantly. OF the $50 or 80
fishing boats fitted cut at Belle Isle
about 200 belong to Palais and the others
10 Suazon. II is I'm these two ports that
The fishermen sell their fish. An ordinary
catch Of sardines gives 70 each boat rom
5000 10 1000 FISH. and the price ~ resu-
lated by the quantity brought in by the
first corners Upon the docks the repre-
a..
1ishments hail the fishermen who tell
them that they alone caught enough worth
mentioning. and that the other boats
caught nothing. Then they enter into
discussion regarding the price
How many thousand have you, jan
nie?"
I about 5000"
"Then | will give you francs a thou
sand"
"Oh no. that is not enough. cannot
sell at that price"
Bur as the rest Of the hOtilla appear, all
the first Corners consent TO sell their fish
| at francs per 1000. and Ira an hour tfter-
ward the later arrivals can get only ~
confines per 1000. and sometimes they
| can get no sale whatever for their catch
IS. and are obliged 20 throw the sardines
overheard. because the little fish remain
/ fresh for only two or three hours. at most.
on the other hand. II the run Is not eN-
| ceptioually numerous, all the fish are
| bought at from 30 10 40 francs per l'Voo,
and sometimes even at - francs per l'Vo'
Sardne fishing IS raore or less danger
Gus. often boats tins. put to sea IN ropgh
weather never come back. When the saf-
dimes are sold on the docks they are taken
I'm baskets TO the cannery. Each G'sket
contains zoo fish. In addition 10 the price
which is Immediately paid TO him on me
dock. the Captain usually gets about halt
| q gallon Of wine for himself and MS crew
During the sardlne season about 300 wo-
men and fifty men anXi0usly await the ar
rival of the first boats. If there are no
fish. there IS no work for them. When
the news arrives that the boats have
| their welcome cargocs the women, IN
| their picturesque costumes, rush 10 the
cannerv like a flock Of frightened sheep
| and each takes her place I'm the great
| room where the fish undergo their nrst
| preparation Here the sardines are spreah
upon the table and sprinkled with sat.
| Then they are cleaned, and when mat
! operation Is finished they are sorted by
! little boys. according 20 their size, ana
carried into another part OF the establish
ment, where they are put In pickle.
! The length Of time required by TINS ope-
/
| fish. After this the fish are washed ana
! placed one by one. with great care. upon
/ wire nets called girls. and put out ~ dry
| i'm the open air III the weather Is wet
| or even foggy this operation becomes i'm
| possible. and the fish spoil and become
| worthless. except for fertilizer.
| This FERROUS Inconvenience has been
| avoided lately by the construction OF a
! mechanical drier sort or immense VEN
| tilator run by powerful machinery. For
| a few moments the sardlnes are exposed
| 10 a strong current OF air, and immediate
/ they are plunged into tanks Of boiling
/ oIive-ou This bath lasts from three TO
! five minutes according 10 .he size OF tho
/ fish In order that the olive-oii NAV
| retain its natural taste, the tanks do not
] come In direct contact with the fire, but
| are heated b. steam tubes. After TINS
| cooking. the sardines, still upon the girls,
| are left to cool and. when cold, the work
| of placing them IN boxes Is begun. 1hat
| work ~ done by special female employees.
| The boxes are carried TO the Oiing-rooHi'
/ where the last manipulation CONSISTS IN
! of the establishment that the tomato
J sauce and the spices are placed IN the
! boXos which give TO the French prepara-
| ton OF sardines their universal renown.
! Then the boxes are closed. Little WAGONS
| running on tramways bring the boxes 20
/ the sOiderlng-rOOm. where about thirty
| workmen with soldering-irons seal up the
In order 10 destroy the microbes the
! boxes are plunged into boiling water and
| allowed TO remain there during the time
| prescribed IN the formula. When taken
! from the water they are dried I'm saw
| dust and finally inspected " one little
/ flaw in the soldering appears, the box
! is al once thrown aside. When the boxes
| are all pronounced good they are put Wy