CRUISES OF THE "MICHAEL SARS " tj 



fish i^Sargus, Box, Pristipoma), besides fry of the horse-mackerel 

 [Caranx trachurus), and hake. The fishermen gave us the 

 whole of the catch and would take nothing for it. On parting 

 from them we felt that we had made the acquaintance of capable 

 energetic men, engaged in an interesting industry. 



The guide-books sold on the islands state that the fishing 

 industry is undeveloped, because the island population is 

 apathetic, and the Spanish Government little interested in it. 

 This is hardly correct ; their African fishing seems to evince 

 both enterprise and a power of adaptation to circumstances. 

 It is no small matter to have to sail in the trade-winds, 

 which are sometimes very violent off the coast of Africa, and 

 there is besides an absence of harbours. The fish caught are 

 best suited for selling alive in the local markets, and it is 



Fig. 54.— Uau 



extremely doubtful whether it would pay to start a fishery on 

 a large scale, as has often been proposed, and commence 

 salting and drying. The kinds of fish may possibly be unsuitable 

 for curing, and the warm climate is very likely less favourable 

 than that of northern lands. As long ago as the middle of the 

 eighteenth century an enterprising man named George Glas 

 made great efforts to establish a fishery, and maintained that 

 the Spanish did not need to depend on Newfoundland for their 

 fish, as they could make their African coast fishery the richest 

 in the world. He did his utmost to prove the truth of his 

 assertion, but failed, partly because of the natural difficulties, 

 and partly owing to various tragic occurrences. Taking every- 

 thing into account, the conditions under which it is carried on 

 and the present state of the markets, the fishing industry of the 

 Canary Islands is quite creditable, and the friendliness of the 

 fishermen towards our expedition was much appreciated by all 

 on board. 



