of North Carolina. 225 



having a strong fishy taste. Their Liver makes good Oil to 

 dress Leather with, and the Bones found in their Head, are 

 said to hasten the Birth, and ease the Stone, by bringing it 

 away. Their Back-bone is of one entire thickness, having 

 many Joints in it, whereof I have known Buttons made by 

 the Sailors and others that live in those remote Places. Gil- 

 lius says, that the People of Marseilles told him, that they 

 had caught one of them, in which they found a ^lan armed 

 with a Coat of Mail. 



The following Relation, will in some measure corroborate 

 the former Account of the Negroes killing them: August 

 1730, a Sloop sailed from North Carolina, bound to the 

 Island in the ^Yest Indies, and after four Days sailing from 

 the Bar, was most unfortunately overset, and all the Crew, ex- 

 cept the Master, two Sailors, and one Negroe, were drowned, 

 these being upon Deck at the time when this misfortune hap- 

 pened, and had the good providence to get upon the Keel of the 

 Vessel, where they remained twenty one Days, and then were 

 taken up by a Vessel trading to Europe; having neither Water 

 or any other Is"ecessaries to support Nature, but by Gods Prov- 

 idence, the Negroe killed a Shark, whereon they lived, and was 

 the only support they had during the said time, which was 

 confirmed by the Master in his Letter from London, to his 

 Friends in North Carolina. 



The Pilot-Fish is of a deep Blue, and the Belly of a lighter 

 Colour than the Back or Sides. The Scales ai'e smooth like a 

 Tench. It's Back is speckled like a Seal-shin. When it is 

 swimming, it appears much like a Mackarel, and looks as if 

 it were painted Blue and White, like a Barhers Pole. It is 

 reported, that the Shark is always attended by one or two of 

 these Fishes, which he will not devour, though never so hun- 



15 Ff gry, 



