230 The Flying fish 



out. A lantern is hoisted to the middle of this net, 

 at the sight of which the fish fly towards it, strike 

 the net and fall down into the boat. It is therefore 

 considered to be the easiest form of fishing known. 

 Unfortunately, in spite of the precise details of this 

 description and the matter-of-fact way it is, or used 

 to be, regularly told to the young deep-water sailor, 

 it is nothing but a yarn. No such fishery is carried 

 on anywhere, nor has ever been, although I do not 

 doubt that every retailer of the story believes it. 

 There is, however, a regular Flying-fish fishery carried 

 on at one place in the world, and only one, systemati- 

 cally. Such few instances of Flying-fish being caught 

 among some of the South Sea Islands do not count, 

 as they are more or less accidental and not at all 

 planned out. 



At the beautiful island of Barbadoes in the West 

 Indies there has been established for over a century 

 a regular Exocetus fishery, which is carried on all the 

 year round, with great average success. It furnishes 

 the inhabitants of Bridgetown and Speightstown 

 and the coast villages with their staple food ; in 

 fact, it is often said in jest that the 'Badians do not 

 feel fed unless they have Flying-fish with every meal. 

 It is almost universally cooked in the same way, that 

 is, the bones are removed, and the fish not fried or 

 boiled, but sautS in gravy — not nearly so pleasant a 

 method, in my opinion, as grilling or frying. But 

 that is purely a matter of taste. The price fluctuates 

 much, according to the catch, but happily there is no 

 * ring ' in Bridgetown market. If the boats all return 

 loaded to the gunwale, as they sometimes do, the 

 price falls at once so low that the very poorest negro 

 can get a meal for half a dozen hungry people for a 

 tup, three halfpence, while next day the same money 



