THE MUTTON-FISII, WARRENER, AND LIMPET. 173 



had a rousing fire going; and the Mauriis were im- 

 mediately on the qui vive for the collecting of mutton- 

 fish, warreners, and limpets, which they quickly de- 

 tected, although to our unpractised eyes there was 

 no appearance of shellfish. These creatures they 

 detached from the rocks, not without exerting con- 

 siderable force, as they adhere with tenacity. The 

 mutton-fish is quite large, weighing from four to 

 eight ounces. The warrener is smaller, and inhabits 

 a cone-shaped shell. The shell of the mutton-fish^ 

 which is similar in shape to that of the clam, is 

 single, having a number of holes in the anterior part, 

 through which the animal breathes ; the lower part of 

 its body presenting the appearance of a large leathern 

 sucker. The limpet has a three-sided shell, and is 

 much smaller than either of the others. All these 

 shells are of an inferior pearl ; useless, on account of 

 its frangible construction, for manfacturing any of the 

 various articles for which the true pearl shell is used. 

 These shellfish, after being captured, are torn by the 

 natives from their habitations, and eaten, alive and 

 kicking, with apparent epicurean relish. This prac- 

 tise of devouring the struggling animal, at first, 

 seemed revolting to me ; but upon reflection I re- 

 membered the cool indifference with which we dis- 

 pose of the bivalves, which possess feeling equally 

 with the mutton-fish, but have not the same energetic 

 way of displaying it. 



One of our party volunteering to act as cook, after 

 sufficient of these fish were procured and deprived 

 of their shells, contrived to make us an excellent 

 dinner — we doing justice to a chowder prepared from 

 these creatures, beside having them raw, roasted, 

 15* 



