2 TRAVELS THROUGH 



the pafiage. I am glad that my ftay at 

 Cape Franfois affords me an opportunity of 

 fulfilling an engagement which is dear to 

 me, becawfe its execution may prove agree- 

 able to you. 



I was at Belle-IJle in 1750, M. Le Cheva- 

 lier de Grojfoles commanded at that place ; he 

 gave me a letter from the Count d'Argenfon^ 

 from which I learnt, that his Majefly had made 

 me Lieutenant in the Marines-, this Minifter 

 gave me orders to fet out immediately for 

 Rochefort ; accordingly I went on board the 

 firft fifhing fmack deflined to carry the An- 

 chovies * (Sardines) to Rochelle^ which are 

 caught on the Coaft of Bretany^ and which 

 are the chief fupport of the inhabitants of 

 Belk'JJle. 



In 



« The true Ancho'vies are caught in the Mediterranean ; 

 / and thofe few that now and then appear in the Teas 

 near E?igland or FrancCy are rather rare^ examples; they 

 are certainly not fo numerous that a profitable iifhery of 

 them could be inftituted. The Sardine of our Author, 

 therefore, feems to be the Pilchard, a fifh that is very 

 copioufly caught on the coafls of Corn^vall and French. 

 Bretany. Linneeus has jno peculiar fpecific name for this 

 fifh, though the great Engli/h natural hiftoriar^ Ray^ in 

 his Syn. pifc. 104, had pointed out the charai^ers of 

 this fpecies ; which now is done more fully by Mr. Peu^ 

 nc.iitt in his Britifli Zoology, III. p. 291. F. 



