506 FLYING FISHES AND THEIE HABITS. 



home," some not more than 5. " There are about 200 boats engaged 

 in the fishery. Nowise notable for grace of form or elegance of rig, 

 they are substantial, undecked vessels of from 5 to 15 tons capacity, 

 built in the roughest manner, and furnished in the most primitive 

 way. The motive power is a gaff mainsail and jib and a couple of 

 sweeps for calms. * * * The fleet leaves the ' canash ' (harbor) 

 before daybreak, each skipper taking his own bearings and working 

 for the sjwt which he thinks will furnish the best results. * * * 

 The tackle used is of the simplest kind. A wooden hoop 3 feet in 

 diameter, to which is attached a shallow net with inch meshes; a 

 bucketful of — well, not to put too fine a point on it — stinking fish; 

 a few good lines and hooks, and a set of grains, form the complete 

 layout. * * . * As soon as the boat is hove to and her way 

 stopped, the usual exuberant spirits and hilarious laughter are put 

 and kept under strong restraint, for a single soimd will often scare 

 away all fish in the vicinity and no more be seen that day. The fish- 

 erman leans far over the boat's side, holding the hoop diagonally in 

 one hand. The other hand, holding one of the malodorous fish 

 before mentioned, is dipped into the sea, and the bait squeezed into 

 minute fragments. This answers a double purpose; it attracts the 

 fish, and the exuding oil forms a ' sleep ' or glassy surface all around, 

 through which one can see to a great depth. Presently sundry black 

 specks appear far down ; they grow larger and more numerous, and 

 the motionless black man hanging over the gunwale scarcely breathes. 

 As soon as a sufficient number are gathered he gently sweeps the net 

 downward and toward the boat withal, bringing it up to the surface 

 by drawing it up against the side. Often it will contain as man}'^ 

 fish as a man can lift; but so quietly and swiftly is the operation per- 

 formed that the school is not startled, and it very often happens that 

 a boat is filled (that is, 7,000 or 8,000 fish) from one school. More 

 frequently, however, the slightest noise, a passing shadow, Avill alarm 

 the school ; there is a flash of silvery light, and the water is clear, not 

 a speck to be seen. Sometimes the fleet will return with not 1,000 

 fish among them, when prices will range very high until next day, 

 when, with 50 or 60 boats bringing 5,000 or 6,000 each, a penny will 

 purchase a dozen." 



This mode of catching flying fishes has been in vogue in Barbados 

 for a couple centuries. G. Hughes (1750) observed that ''when 

 full grown and in perfection " they " will neither fly out of [man's] 

 way, as they do from the dolphin, nor will they dive into the dee}), 

 but suffer themselves to be taken up with the hand or with a small 

 hoop net, which is the common and most expeditious way of taking 

 them." 



The mode of fishing thus described is designated bv the Barba- 

 dians as " driving " and is one of the three special ways of taking the 



