PROFITING BY STUPIDITY. 105 



consisted in piercing the fish, as they lay in their winter 

 mud-baths at the bottom of the Euxine, with a short, 

 thick, leaded log, armed on the under side with a com- 

 plete arsenal of barbed and serrated spear-heads. This 

 formidable weapon was slung by a long rope to the bow 

 of the boat, whence it was hurled headlong, causing ter- 

 rible execution among the unsuspecting tunny. 



" Swift through the gloomy regions of the bay, 

 The leaded engine lights upon its prey ; 

 And soon a hundred barbs, in galling chains, 

 As many victims -hold in writhing pains." 



The tunny is noted for its timidity. It is also exceed- 

 ingly stupid ; a feeling due, we suppose, to its small brain, 

 which does not exceed 3-7^ of its total bulk. The 

 slightest noise in the water will so fluster and confound 

 a whole shoal, as to drive them headlong into the fisher- 

 men's snares. Taking advantage of this intellectual de- 

 fect or idiosyncrasy, the ancients, under cover of a dark 

 night, would row with muffled oars to the spot where the 

 fish were suspected to be lying. There, a vast apparatus 

 of mesh-work was run out silently, and the crew pulled 

 vigorously to one side, until they got in the rear of the 

 shoal. Then, what a clamour arose ! How they yelled 

 and shouted ! How they beat the waters with their 

 oars, and filled the air with a chaos of discordant sounds ! 

 Frightened by the phosphorescent gleam on the surface, 

 and by the din and clash echoing all around, away dashed 

 the timid fish in the direction of the net, in whose open 

 abysses they took refuge as in a secure asylum ! The 

 clatter being constantly kept up, they made no attempt 

 to leave their dangerous retreat ; and the crew, rowing 

 towards the shore, carefully and dexterously towed the 



