" The fish, after these primary operations, must re main five or six days in bulk, before it has sufficiently taken the salt; and, after that period, the sooner it is washed the better. For this purpose it is put into wash ing vats, or wooden vessels, generally seven or eight feet long, three and a half feet wide, and three deep. They first throw in two or three quintals, over which they pour a quantity of sea-water, gradually increasing the quantity of both till the vat is full. They then take up each fish separately, cleaning carefully the back and belly with a woollen cloth, and next lay it in a long even bulk. on the stage-floor to drain. They resume the same process, until they have washed such a quantity of fish as they can manage next day. It may remain in drain bulk no more than two days; if kept beyond that time it will decay in weight, nor will it stand the weather so well on account of the salt getting out of it.
"The next day, or as soon after as the weather per mits, the fish is spread out in the open air to dry, head to tail, the open side being exposed to the sun. This is done either upon a beach, or upon the ground, which is called laying-room ; but more generally upon stand ing flakes. These last are of two sorts, namely, hand and broad flakes. The former consist of a slight wattle supported by posts, at such an elevation from the ground, that a person standing can conveniently ma nage and turn the fish. The broad flakcs consist of a set of beams, supported by posts and shorcs, or stout pieces of timber standing perpendicularly under the beams, to which similar pieces are likewise fixed in a sloping position. In some places these broad flakes are as high as 20 or 30 feet from the ground. It is said that a free circulation of air is of considerable service to the fish while drying ; hence high flakes are prefer able to low ones, or to beaches,—where, besides the want of a circulation of air, the back of the fish is lia ble to be aun-burnt, if spread after the sun has heated the stones. But when the fish is dry, and spread only to make it perfectly fit to be put on shipboard, beach or flake Will SCI'VC equally well.
44 Towards evening of the first day, two or three fishes are placed one over the other, with their backs upwards, to prevent the open side from being injured by the wet or damp. Next morning the fish is again spread as be fore, and towards evening made into faggots of five or six, proceeding in the same manner, so as to increase the faggots to eight or ten on the third evening, and on the fourth to eighteen or twenty, always with the back upwards, and some larger ones on the top in a slanting position, so as to shoot off the rain or wet that may hap pen to fall during the night. On the fifth evening the faggots are made much larger ; the fish is then consi dered as safe, and left in that state for a week, or even a fortnight, if there is a want of flake-room for the whole voyage, or the weather happens to be bad. It is next spread out again until about three or four o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, when it is put ic.ito large cir
cular piles, in the Form of a round hay-stack, with the heads outmost, the backs upwards, and the whole is covered with circular deal frames, or with rnats, tarpau lins, or rinds confined by large stones, in order to pre serve it from the heavy dews which fall during the heat of summer. It is left soine titne in that state, then again spread out, and the same day, towards evening, lodged in stores or put on board the vessels. After the fish has been first spread on flakes, four good clays out of seven, (considered preferable to four successive ;oocl days, be cause it then works, or, as the fishermen express it, sweats better,) will be sufficient to save it from any ma terial damage. As a single drop of rain or fresh water may so affect a fish as not only to injure it greatly, but also to communicate the infection to the whole faggot, pile, or even cargo, the state of the weather is watched with particular attention while the fishes are drying ; and these, on the least appearance of a ShOWer, are imme diately turned back uppermost. As Newfoundland, during the summer, is subject to sudden showers, the hurry and confusion which this frequently creates throughout the whole place, can hardly be described. It occasions no small annoyance, if happening on a Sunday, while the people are at church. The flakes are then in an instant covered with men, women, and children, busily employed in turning the fishes or making them into fag gots ; the profits of the whole voyage, the means of paying the debts contracted, and of procuring supplies for the support of the family during winter, may all de pend on the exertions of that moment.
" Such is the precarious and uncertain nature of the cod-fishery : at the same time the fatigues which attend it are very great. During the heat of the fishery, the people, under the most incessant hard labour, have scarcely time to eat their meals, and hardly four hours of rest in the lour and twenty. In some parts of the coast, the ledges are at so great a dktance, that much time is consumed in the passage from their respective harbours and back again ; and even in those parts which are more favourably situated, the fish clues not always abound equally. It is sometimes found in the north, and sometimes in the south of the island ; at other times in the middle of the coast, according as it is driven by winds, or attracted by the smaller fish ; so that some fishermen are nearly ruined, while others, more fortunate, make excellent voyages." Besides this cod-fishery, the produce of which, amounting to upwards of half a million quintals, is pre ferred in the southern markets of Europe to that of a.py crther, there are fisheries of salmon, herrings. and seals Of the latter about five thousand are taken annually ; thcir skins and their oil form a considerable export; thcir flesh is eaten by the inhabitants.