94 SIRENIA. 
They use no Oars but Paddles, the broad Part of which doth not go tapering towards 
the Staff, Pole, or Shandle of it, as in the Oar; nor do they use it in the same manner, 
by laying it on the Side of the Vessel; but hold it perpendicular, griping the Staff 
hard with both Hands, and putting back the Water by main Strength, and very quick 
Strokes. One of the Moskitoes (for there go but two in a Canoa) sits in the Stern, the 
other kneels down in the Head, and both paddle till they come to the place where they 
expect their Game. Then they lye still or paddle very softly, looking well about them, 
and he that is in the Head of the Canoa lays down his Paddle, and stands up with his 
striking Staffin his Hand. This Staff is about 8 Foot long, almost as big as a Man’s Arm 
at the great End, at which there is a Hole to place his Harpoon in. At the other End 
of his Staff there is a piece of light Wood called Bobwood, with a Hole in it, through 
which the small End of the Staff comes; and on this piece of Bobwood there is a Line 
of 10 or 12 Fathom wound neatly about, and the End of the Line made fast to it. The 
other End of the Line is made fast to the Harpoon, which is at the great End of the 
Staff, and the Moskito Men keeps about a Fathom of it loose in his Hand. When he 
strikes, the Harpoon presently comes out of the Staff, and as the Manatee swims away, 
the Line runs off from the Bob ; and altho’ at first both Staff and Bob may be carried under 
Water, yet as the Line runs off it will rise again. Then the Moskito Men paddle with 
all their might to get hold of the Bob again, and spend usually a quarter of an Hour 
before they get it. When the Manatee begins to be tired, it lieth still, and then the 
Moskito Men paddle to the Bob and take it up, and begin to hale in the Line. When the 
Manatee feels them he swims away again, with the Canoa after him; then he that steers 
must be nimble to turn the Head of the Canoa that way that his Consort points, who 
being in the Head of the Canoa, and holding the Line, both sees and feels which way 
the Manatee is swimming. Thus the Canoa is towed with a violent Motion, till the 
Manatee’s Strength decays. Then they gather in the Line, which they are often forced 
to let all go to the very End. At length when the Creature’s Strength is spent, they 
hale it up to the Canoa’s side, and knock it on the Head, and tow it to the nearest Shore, 
where they make it fast, and seek for another; which having taken, they get on shore 
with it to put it into their Canoa: For ’tis so heavy that they cannot lift it in, but they 
hale it up in shole Water, as near the Shore as they can, and then overset the Canoa, laying 
one side close to the Manatee. Then they roll [it] in, which brings the Canoa upright 
again; and when they have heav’d out the Water, they fasten a Line to the other 
Manatee that lieth afloat, and tow it after them. I have known two Moskito Men for 
a Week every Day bring aboard 2 Manatee in this Manner; the least of which hath not 
weighed less than 600 Pound, and that in a very small Canoa, that three Englishmen would 
scarce adventure to go in. When they strike a Cow that hath a young one, they 
seldom miss the Calf, for she commonly takes her young under one of her Fins. But 
if the Calf is so big that she cannot carry it, or [she] so frightened that she only minds 
to save her own Life, yet the young never leaves her till the Moskito Men have an oppor- 
tunity to strike her. 
