254 lawson's hirtory 



iish, as the Indians say, that we are wholl}^ stran- 

 gers to. As to the porpoises, they make good oil ; 

 they prey upon other fish, as drums, yet never are 

 known to take a bait so as to be caught with a hook. 



Sharks. — Of these there are two sorts ; one call- 

 ed paracooda noses, the other shovel noses ; they 

 cannot take their prey before they turn themselves 

 on their backs ; wherefore some negroes and oth- 

 ers that can swim and dive well, go naked into 

 the water with a knife in their hand, and fight the 

 shark and very commonly kill him or wound him, 

 so that he turns tail and runs away. Their livers 

 make good oil to dress leather withal ; the bones 

 found in their heads are said to hasten the birth 

 and ease the stone by bringing it away. Their 

 meat is eaten in scarce times ; but I never could 

 away with it, though a great lover of fish. Their 

 backbone is of one entire thickness. Of the bones 

 or joints, I have known buttons made, which serve 

 well enough in scarce times and remote places. 



The dog fish are a small sort of the shark kind, 

 and iare caught with hook and line, fishing for 

 drums. They say they are good meat ; but we 

 have so many other sorts of delicate fish that I* 

 shall hardly ever make trial what they are. 



Spanish mackarel are, in color and shape, like 

 the common mackarel, only much thicker. They 

 are caught with hook and line at the inlets, and 

 sometimes out a little way at sea. They are a 

 very fine hard fish, and of good taste. They are 

 about two feet long or better. 



L 



