130 A VOYAGE TO Book III. 



These Negroes cannot every day make up their 

 number, as in many of the oy iters the pearl is not at 

 alL or but imperieclly formed ; or the oyñer is dead, 

 whereby the pearl is lb damaged, as to be of no value ; 

 and as no allowance is made forluch pearls, they muft 

 make up their numbers with others. 



Besides the toil of this ñíhery, from the oyfiers 

 itrongly adhering to the rocks, they are alfo in no 

 fmall danger from lome kinds of fifh, which either 

 feize the Negroes, or, by ftriking on them,crufh them 

 by their weight againit the bottom. So that thefe 

 creatures feem to know that men are robbing theiji j 

 of the moil valuable produél of their element, and ! 

 therefore make a vigorous defence againft their enemy. ■ 

 The fiihery on the whole coafi: is obnoxious to the 

 lame danger from thefe fifh ; but they are much more 

 frequent where fuch riches abound. The fharks and 

 tintoreras, which are of an enormous fize, feed on 

 the bodies' of thefe unfortunate fifhermen ; and the 

 rnantas, orq\fiUs, either prefs them to death by wra'p- 

 ping their fins about them, or cruih them againit the 

 rocks by their prodigious weight. The name manta 

 h?i9 not been improperly given to this ñíh, either 

 with regard to its figure or property ; for being broad 

 and long like a quilt, it wraps its fins round, a man^ 

 or any other animal that happens to come within 

 Tts reach, and immediately fqueezes it to death. This 

 fifli refemblcs a thornbackin fhape, but is prodigioufiy 

 larger. 



Every Nc^ro, to defend himfelf a^rainft thefe ani- 

 mals, carries with him a iharp knife, v>'ith which, if 

 the filli ofiers to aifault him, he endeavours to firrke it 

 in a part v^here it has no power to hurt him ; on which 

 the fifii immediately fiies. The officers keep a watch- 

 ful eye on thefe voracious creatures, and, on difcovcr- 

 ing them, fiiake the ropes fafiened to the Negroes' 

 bodies, that they may be upon their guard ; many, on 

 the divers being in danger, have thrown theraielves 



intO' 



