242 CRAB-POND. 



and the flies were innumerable, a handsome Musca, 

 of a metallic green hue, with brassy reflections. No 

 shelter was near from the scorching sun, which was un- 

 mitigated by a cloud, and reflected up from the coral 

 sand of dazzling whiteness. We removed the skin, 

 however, and transferred it to Bluefields across the back 

 of a horse, by the afternoon ; but the sun was dipping 

 in the western sea by the time the cutaneous muscles 

 were removed. I strewed the interior with pounded 

 alum, and then with wood-ashes, and the next day 

 stuffed it, and suspended it from a tree to dry. 



This fish is sought only for the liver, which is not 

 a very important item, as that of such a fish as I 

 have described will not yield more than a gallon of 

 oil : it is of a fishy smell, and is used only for burn- 

 ing. The animal, however, sometimes occurs of much 

 larger size, attaining the length of twelve feet or 

 more. It is seen, though rarely, at all times of the 

 year, in deep water ; but in the month of October, 

 it is said to resort to the shallows ; that is to say, 

 the outer side of a shelving bar, which girds the coast 

 in some situations, at a short distance from the shore. 

 The fishermen say the Nurse comes to sleep on the 

 sandy bottom, and that when one has once been seen 

 in a particular locality, they calculate with certainty 

 on finding it there again. The fish is seen lying 

 motionless, or as they say, asleep, on the bottom, for 

 many hours at a time. 



It is when lying thus, heedless of what is going on 

 above them, that these Sharks are struck with the 

 harpoon, dragged to the surface, and then, the 

 bight of a rope having been passed around the body. 



