290 PREHISTORIC FISHING. 



now and then taking them up, to see how many are at the Bait ; where they 

 generally find abundance ; so take them off, and put them in a Basket for the 

 purpose, and stick the Reeds down again. By this Method, they will, in a little 

 time, catch several Bushels, which are as good, as any I ever eat. Those Indians 

 that frequent the Salt- Waters, take abundance of Fish, some very large, and of 

 several sorts, which to preserve, they first barbakue, then pull the Fish to Pieces, 

 so dry it in the Sun, whereby it keeps for Transportation ; as for Scate, Oysters, 

 Cockles, and several sorts of Shell-fish, they open and dry them upon Hurdles, 

 having a constant Fire under them. The Hurdles are made of Reeds or Canes 

 in the shape of a Gridiron. Thus they dry several Bushels of these Fish, and 

 keep them for their Necessities. At the time when they are on the Salts, and 

 Sea Coasts, they have another Fishery, that is for a little Shell-fish, which those 

 in England call Blackmoors Teeth. These they catch by tying bits of Oysters 

 to a long String, which they lay in such places, as, they know, those Shell-fish 

 haunt. These Fish get hold of the Oysters, and suck them in, so that they pull 

 up those long Strings, and take great Quantities of them, which they carry a 

 great way into the main Land, to trade with the remote Indians, where they are 

 of great Value ; but never near the Sea, by reason they are common, therefore 

 not esteern'd. Besides, the Youth and Indian Boys go in the Night, and one 

 holding a Lightwood Torch, the other has a Bow and Arrows, and the Fire 

 directing him to see the Fish, he shoots them with the Arrows ; and thus they 

 kill a great many of the smaller Fry and sometimes pretty large ones. It is an 

 establish'd Custom amongst all these Natives, that the young Hunter never eats 

 of that Buck, Bear, Fish, or any other Game, which happens to be the first they 

 kill of that sort ; because they believe, if he should eat thereof, he would never 

 after be fortunate in Hunting. The like foolish Ceremony they hold, when they 

 have made a Ware to take Fish withal ; if a big-belly'd Woman eat of the first 

 Dish that is caught in it, they say that Ware will never take much Fish ; and 

 as for killing of Snakes, they avoid it, if they lie in their way, because their 

 Opinion is, that some of the Serpents Kindred would kill some of the Savages 

 Relations, that should destroy him." (Page 209, etc.). 



Brickell (John): The Natural History of North Carolina; Dublin, 1737. 

 [Indians of North Carolina]. "They have Fish-gigs that are made of Reeds or 

 Hollow Canes, these they cut and make very sharp, with two Beards, and taper 

 at the Point like a Harpoon; being thus provided, they either wade into the 

 Water, or go into their Canoes, and paddle about the Edges of the Rivers or 

 Creeks, striking all the Fish they meet with in the depth of five or six Feet 

 Water, or as far as they can see them ; this they commonly do in dark calm 

 Nights, and whilst one attends with a Light made of the Pitch-pine, the other 

 with his Fish-gig strikes and kills the Fish : It is diverting to see them fish after 



