454- Notes on Natural Objects 



discern a flock of pelicans heavily wending their way to resume 

 a similar occupation. A solitary flamingo, or albatross, might 

 be seen approaching the beach ; and all day long, beneath 

 the sun's scorching rays, the persevering vulture, or Aura, 

 hovered and circled above the line of high water to search 

 for something thrown up by the preceding tide, wherewith to 

 satisfy his ever-craving appetite ; or a party of them, patiently 

 seated upon the low trees surrounding the cook's fire, would 

 await an opportunity of carrying off some fragments of fish 

 or meat. 



During the day, various ways are adopted for taking fish, 

 and for this purpose a boat is almost indispensable. Crossing 

 the reef, which can only be accomplished with a boat in calm 

 weather, owing to the rolling swell and the force of the 

 breakers, we soon find ourselves in five or six fathoms water, 

 on good fishing ground. At this depth, strong lines are re- 

 quired ; and here may be taken Spanish mackerel, baracutas, 

 and king fish ; all powerful fishes, particularly the latter. 



Within the Baxo, in two or three fathoms water, we wit- 

 nessed the dexterity of our negroes in diving for conchs, and 

 without difficulty found our boat loaded with a large supply 

 of these splendid shells. Standing on the bow of the boat as 

 she slowly moves over the fishing-ground, the diver examines 

 the bottom carefully to the right and the left, through the trans- 

 parent water. At a glance, he detects the conch moving like 

 a snail along the bottom ; he plunges headlong in, and rises 

 to the surface, frequently with a couple of shells whose united 

 weight is 14 lb. Every one has admired the delicate yet 

 splendid tints of these univalves, so much esteemed as an 

 ornament to our mantelpieces ; but, as much of this colouring 

 matter is evanescent in the dead shells, it is only when the 

 conchs are first taken living from their native element that 

 they can be seen in their greatest beauty. On one excursion 

 we brought to shore fifty beautiful specimens of the largest 

 and most perfect shells, and, as each shell weighed about 7 lb., 

 their total weight was about 350 lb. ; a good load for two 

 packhorses. 



At different times, whilst passing with the boat amidst the 

 coral groups and small reefs of the Baxo, various other fishes 

 were harpooned besides those I have enumerated. Amongst 

 them may be mentioned the vieja, or blue fish, having unu- 

 sually large blue scales ; the pargo bianco, or market fish ; the 

 chapin, or trunk fish, of which we took two species, having 

 solid shells instead of scales ; the sand fish ; the turbot ; and 

 last, but not least, the sting ray, a fish of great power. Here 

 also our negroes harpooned our first turtle. Once or twice a 



