32 CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NARRATIVE. 



(Phaeton etherus) breeds in the crevices of the elevated 

 rocks near the shores, but was not at this time numerous. 



Fish are tolerably abundant in the bay, and the seine may 

 be hauled with good success, either in a sandy cove on the 

 west side of the east point of the bay, or on the beach west 

 of the town; the latter appearing preferable, the former 

 being subject to a sudden rise of surf, when the sea breeze 

 blows fresh. Of nine species of fish which we took, three 

 only were familiar to us, viz. a young white shark, (Squalus 

 carcharias) barracoota, or barracuda and grey mullet. The 

 others we were prevented from examining by a mistake of 

 the cabin steward, who (supposing they were selected and 

 put by for the purpose) caused these specimens to be drest 

 for dinner. Although the most rigid catholics, the inhabi- 

 tants seem to make fish a ^ery small portion of their ge- 

 neral food, a single boat alone going out to fish in deep 

 water ; and the few fish we observed on shore were taken 

 as we understood by hook and line from the rocks. The 

 Governor, however, on learning that we had hauled the 

 seine with success, let us know that it was customary to pay 

 him the compliment of a dish of fish, which through 

 ignorance we had omitted. Of crustaceous fish, we only 

 took a prawn four inches long, a few small crabs among the 

 rocks, and a species of land crab. The testaceous moUusca 



