226 A VOYAGE TO Book VIIL 



is a soft spongy substance. This spur, or bone, for it 

 resembles both, is such aprescnt remedy for the tootli- 

 ache, that, the point of it being apphed to the part 

 affected, it entirely removes the pain in half an hour. 

 The first account I had of this singular virtue was from 

 a Frenchman, Avho M-as my pilot ; but as reason 

 would not permit me to give credit, without expe- 

 rience, to a circumstance seemingly so void of proba- 

 bility, the asseverations of the man increased my de- 

 sire of putting it to the proof, which I did several 

 times, and always with success. I did not fail to 

 communicate a discovery of such great benefit; and 

 accordingly several of my acquaintance, who laboured 

 under that excruciating pain, made trial of it, and 

 fouiid from it the same happy effects ; with this par- 

 ticular circumstance, that soon after the application of 

 the bone to the part affected, it became insensil)le of 

 pain, a drowsiness succeeded, and they awaked free 

 from the torture. I observed that the spongy substance 

 at the root, during the operation, became gradually 

 inflated, and softer than in its natural state, which 

 could not be effected solely by the moisture of the 

 mouth, the part put into it being compact, hard, and 

 smooth as ivory. I am therefore inclined to tliiuk that 

 it has an attractive virtue, which extracts the morbific 

 humour, and collects it in the root. The common 

 length of these anodyne spurs, or bones, is two inches 

 and a half, of which one moiety, together with the 

 root, is within the body of the fish. Each face of the 

 triangle is about four lines in breadth. They are 

 taken in the same plenty as the others. 



The abundance of fish about these islands is such, 

 that two hours fishing in the morning, and as many 

 in the evening, with only six or eight nets, pro- 

 cured no only a sulficiency for all the ship's company'', 

 but a consiilerable quantity remained for salting. 

 The chief kinds are cod, berrugates, the spur fish, 

 sole, turbot, jureles, and lobsters; besides au infinite 



number 



