386 December 1748. 



have been dug by men, they were always 

 covered with a great quantity of earth, as if 

 they were intended to remain hidden from 

 ftrangers. 



December the 6tb. On long voyages the 

 failors fometimes catch fuch fifh as are 

 known to none of the fhip's company; but 

 as they are very greedy after frefh provifi- 

 ons, they feldom abftain from eating them, 

 however it proves often venturing too much, 

 experience having mown, that their want of 

 caution has often coft them their lives, for 

 fometimes poifonous fifh are caught. But 

 there is a method of finding them out, as I 

 have heard from feveral captains of fhips : 

 it is ufual when fuch unknown fifh are boil- 

 ed, to put a filver button, or any piece of 

 iilver into the kettle, which if the fifh be 

 poifonous, will turn quite black, but if it 

 be not, it will not change : fome of the 

 feamen referred to their own repeated expe- 

 rience.* 



Mr. Franklin and feveral other gentle- 

 men frequently told me, that a powerful 



Indian, 



* This experiment with the filver, fuppofes that the broth 

 of the fifh would be fo ftrong as to aft as a folvent upon the 

 filver ; but there may be poifons, which would not affeft the 

 filver, and however prove fatal to men ; the fureft way there- 

 fore would be to fuppfefs that appetite, which may become 

 fatal not only to a few men of the crew, but alfo endanger 

 the whole Ihip, by the lofs of neceflary hands. F. 



