278 PREHISTORIC FISHING. 



"Meteauhock, The Periwinkle. Of which they make their W6mpan or 

 white money, of halfe the value of their Suckawhock, or blacke money. 



" The Natives take exceeding great paines in their fishing, especially in 

 watching their seasons by night ; so that frequently they lay their naked bodies 

 many a cold night on the cold shoare about a fire of two or three sticks, and oft 

 in the night search their Nets ; and sometimes goe in and stay longer in frozen 

 water." (Page 102, etc.).* 



" Obs : Mishoon, an Indian Boat, or Canow made of a Pine or Oake, or 

 Chesnut-tree : I have seene a Native goe into the woods with his hatchet carrying 

 onely a Basket of Corne with him, and stones to strike fire when he had felled his 

 tree (being a Chesnut) he made him a little House or shed of the bark of it, he 

 puts fire and followes the burning of it with fire, in the midst in many places : 

 his corne he boyles and hath the Brook by him, and sometimes angles for a little 

 fish : but-so hee continues burning and hewing untill he hath within ten or twelve 

 dayes (lying there at his worke alone) finished, and (getting hands,) lanched his 

 Boate; with which afterward hee ventures out to fish in the Ocean. 



" Mishoonemese, A little Canow. Some of them will not well carry above 

 three or foure : but some of them twenty, thirty, forty men. 



" Obs : It is wonderfull to see how they will venture in those Canoes, and 

 how (being oft overset as I have myselfe been with them) they will swim a mile, 

 yea two or more safe to Land : I having been necessitated to passe Welters diverse 

 times with them, it hath pleased God to make them many times the instruments 

 of my preservation ; and when sometimes in great danger I have questioned 

 safety, they have said to me : Feare not, if we be overset I will carry you safe 

 to Land." (Page 98, etc.). 



(Johnson [Captain Edward]): A History of New-England. From the English 

 planting in the Yeere 1628. untill the Yeere 1652 ; London, 1654. " They are 

 very good marks-men with their Bovve and Arrows. Their Boyes will ordi- 

 narily shoot fish with their Arrowes as they swim in the shallow Rivers, they 

 draw the Arrow halfe way putting the point of it into the water, they let flye and 

 strike the fish through." (Page 227). 



Ogilby (John): America: being the Latest and most Accurate Description of 

 New- England, etc.; London, 1671. " In the Trade of Fishing they are very 

 expert, being experienc'd in the knowledge of all Baits for several Fishes, and 

 divers Seasons ; being not ignorant likewise of the removal of Fishes, knowing 

 when to Fish in Rivers, and when at Rocks, when in Bays, and when at Seas: 

 Since the English came they are furnish'd with English Hooks and Lines, for before 



* In the same chapter Roger Williams gives the Narragansett words for fishing-line, hooks in general, small 

 hooks, large hooks, bait, net, two kinds of eel-pots, etc. 



