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    What is this purgatory Gobineau speaks of? His description is eloquent;

    A fishing stage...is a big hut built on piles half in the water and half on land; made with planks and logs, it is designed to a11ow the easy circulation of air. Some large ships' sails cover it.

    A part of the floor, especially that lying over the water, is open; and here are placed kinds of benches on which the cod are split. The stench on the stage is indescribable. It is the most horrible charnel-house imaginable. The air is constantly filled with ammoniacal vapours. Half rotted or totally decomposed fish guts accumulating in the water finally lie inside the room itself and as the workers are not particularly sensitive, people, they rarely give a thought to ridding themselves of this disgusting refuse.

    Despite this revolting atmosphere, as Gobineau describes it, the shore workers are in no danger, other than of cutting themselves with their knives; Suppurating Sores are frequent amongst them and have serious consequences, sometimes resulting in the need for amputation.