METHOD OF FISHING. 



17 



from its fertility, and the irrigation that is ca- 

 pable of being produced, as well as from imports, 

 is in a better condition than the others. At the 

 island of Fuego, more particularly, the inha- 

 bitants were said to be dying daily in great 

 numbers, from famine. The island of St. Jago 

 alone is stated to have a population of 27,000 

 inhabitants. 



I observed several boats engaged in fishing 

 near the ship, previous to our landing, and their 

 mode of capturing the finny tribe appeared to 

 me novel ; they sprinkled something over the 

 water, like crumbs of bread, that attracted the 

 fish (which were five or six inches long) to the 

 surface in shoals ; the fishermen then swept 

 amongst them a stick to which a number of 

 short lines and hooks were attached, and by aid 

 of this they usually brought up several fish at a 

 time. After the fish were caught, some women, 

 who were in the boat, were engaged in cleansing 

 and salting them. 



Tired of the dull village, we descended from 

 the elevated site to a garden in which the 

 well was situated whence the supply of water of 

 excellent quality is procured for shipping. At 

 this spot the plantain, date, papaw, and cocoa-nut 

 trees, attracted the attention of those of our 

 party who had never before seen these magni- 



VOL. I. c 



