Ch. IX. SOUTH AMERICA. 407 



firft, that they may chufe their feveral conveniencics, 

 in order to finiili their fiQiery with the greater difpatch j 

 and rcnirning early to Europe, may turn their cargo to 

 a better account. 



WriEN a (hip has taken her ftation, flie is imme- 

 diately unrigged ; and at the fame time a fie place 

 chofcn for leciiring the fifh, as it is prepared : hufs 

 are like-wiie run up for the men who work aihore, 

 fo as to form a kind of village ; and at the water's 

 edge is alfo built a large ftage or fcaffold. Here 

 the number of launches defigncd for the fifliery is 

 got ready, and when built are left there till the fol- 

 lowing year ; v hen he who firil enters the bay, has 

 the privilege of applying them to his own ufe. Every 

 thing being ready, the whole ihip's company, officers 

 included, without exception of any one, are divided 

 into as many claffes as there are occupations: fome 

 fiih, others cut off the lieads, others gut the fifli, 

 which the French call habiller; whilft others have the 

 care of falting and laying them up. The fiihers fet 

 out very early in their boats, that they may be at their 

 ftation by break of day, and do not return till the 

 evening, unlefs they happen to have caught their 

 boat- load before. This fifhery is all performed with 

 the hook i and every boat is provided with a fnfficienc 

 quantity of all kinds of fiíhing-tackle, to be ready at 

 hand in cafe of any accidenc, as breaking a line or the 

 like. On rhcir return the fiih is delivered ro thofe who 

 open them -, and that this may be done with the greater 

 dilpatch, a boy ftands by to hand them 10 them and 

 take tnem away when cured. 'I'his woiiv is done in a 

 methodical manner; for he who beheads them d<v^« 

 nothing elfe. They are op'^n^-d with one r .t length- 

 wife, their back-bone, ana all their entrails a.e taken 

 out; and another immediately taken in hand, and 

 the offals thrown mto the fea. While fome open, 

 others fait, and others again pile up; and all ihis is 

 done with the greateft care and regularity. 1 he next 

 D d 4 day. 



