AUTHORS ON SEA AND RIVER FISHING. 23 



In another passage he relates how the fishermen of the 

 Tyrrhine Sea constructed light skiffs, resembling Xiphias, 

 which attracted these fish, and from which the fishermen 

 harpooned them. He also mentions and gives the use of a 

 great variety of ancient nets, to which, as he says, he might 

 have added many more but for the exigencies of verse : — 



" A thousand names a fisher might rehearse 

 Of nets, intractable in smoother verse." 



And specially he describes the meshed " engine," used for 

 the capture of thunny ; so immense, complex, and intri- 

 cate, that — 



" Nets like a city to the floods descend, 

 And bulwarks, gates, and noble streets extend." 



He thus shows that the ancients kept a magnificent stock 

 of nets, and probably anticipated in many instances what 

 we imagined to be modern improvements or inventions. 



His sketch of the well-known pilot fish, or "whale's 

 friend," is very pretty, and even touching : — 



" Bold in the front the little pilot glides. 

 Averts each danger, every motion guides ; 

 With grateful joy the willing whales attend, 

 Observe the leader and revere the friend : 

 True to the little chief obsequious roll, 

 And soothe in friendship's charms their savage soul. 

 Between the distant eyeballs of the whale 

 The watchful pilot waves his faithful tail, 

 With signs expressive points the doubtful way, 

 The bulky tyrants doubt not to obey, 

 Implicit trust repose in him alone, 

 And hear and see with senses not their own ; 

 To him the important reins of life resign. 

 And every self-preserving care decline." 



Under the Greek name "Echeneis," i.e., "stay-ship" 



