(_For the Mirror_.)
Salmon are caught in less or greater abundance in all the rivers of this
county. The salmon-fisheries of Lochlomond and the Leven are of
considerable value. In several parts of the county salmon are cured in a
peculiar manner, called kippering; and throughout Scotland kippered
salmon is a favourite dish. It is practised here in the following
manner:--All the blood is taken from the fish immediately after it is
killed; this is done by cutting the gills. It is then cut up the back on
each side the bone, or chine, as it is commonly called. The bone is
taken out, but the tail, with two or three inches of the bone, is left;
the head is cut off; all the entrails are taken out, but the skin of the
belly is left uncut; the fish is then laid, with the skin undermost, on
a board, and is well rubbed and covered over with a mixture of equal
quantities of common salt and Jamaica pepper. Some of this mixture is
carefully spread under the fins to prevent them from corrupting, which
they sometimes do, especially if the weather is warm. A board with a
large stone is sometimes laid upon the fish, with a view to make the
salt penetrate more effectually. In some places, as Dumbarton, instead
of a flat board, a shallow wooden trough is used, by which means the
brine is kept about the fish; sometimes two or three salmon are kippered
together in the same vessel, one being laid upon the other. The fish,
with the board or trough, is set in a cool place for two or three days;
it is then removed from the board, and again rubbed with salt and
pepper; after which it is hung up by the tail, and exposed to the rays
of the sun or the heat of the fire. Care is previously taken to stretch
out the fish by means of small sticks or hoops placed across it from
side to side. After it has remained in the heat a few days, it is hung
up in a dry place till used. Some people, in order to give the kipper a
peculiar taste, highly relished by not a few, carefully smoke it with
peat reek, or the reek of juniper bushes. This is commonly done by
hanging it up so near a chimney in which peats or juniper bushes are
burnt, as to receive the smoke; there it remains two or three weeks, by
which time it generally acquires the required flavour.