ON TEE SOL AND EB GROUNDS. 333 



and striped longitudinally with black and yellow. I 

 am ignorant of any polysyllabic prefix for it, only 

 knowing it by its trivial and local appellation of the 

 "trumpeter," from the peculiar sound it makes when 

 out of water. But no other fish out of the innumer- 

 able varieties which I have sampled in all parts of the 

 world could compare with the trumpeter for flavour 

 and delicacy. These qualities are well known to the 

 inhabitants of the large towns, who willingly pay high 

 prices for the scanty supply of these delicious fish which 

 they are able to obtain. Of other succulent fish there 

 was a great variety, from the majestic " grouper," 

 running up to over a hundredweight, down to the 

 familiar flounder. Very little fishing could be done 

 at night. Just as day was dawning was the ideal 

 time for this enticing sport. As soon as the first few 

 streaks of delicate light enlivened the dull horizon, a 

 stray nibble or two gladdened the patient fishermen ; 

 then as the light strengthened the fun became general, 

 and in about an hour enough fish would be caught to 

 provide all hands with for the day. 



One morning, when a stark calm left the surface of 

 the bay as smooth as a mirror, I was watching a few 

 stealthily-gliding barracouta sneaking about over the 

 plainly visible bottom, though at a depth of seven or 

 eight fathoms. Ordinarily, these fish must be taken 

 with a live bait ; but, remembering my experience with 

 the dolphin, I determined to try a carefully-arranged 

 strip of fish from one recently caught. In precisely 

 the same way as the dolphin, these long, snaky rascals 

 carefully tested the bait, lying still for sometimes as 

 long as two minutes with the bait in their mouths, 

 ready to drop it out on the first intimation that it was 



not a detached morsel. After these periods of waiting 

 23 



