Sentence:  At present the only method applicable to large quantities of fish taken at one time, is that which translates the silvery, savoury little fishes into intensely salt <WSD>' fairmaids</WSD>.'  So saturated do these ' <WSD>fairmaids</WSD> ' become by the salt or brine in which they have been placed, that English eaters incontinently 'take to drink,' generously suggest their shipment to a Mediterranean port, and endeavor to restore the freshness to their mouths by a meal of red herrings. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A smoked or salted pilchard.