104 . THE RAY. 



and llvates ; there the bufinefs is carried on in a more ex- 

 peditious manner, for as the fiftiers have no occafion to 

 wait the returns of the tide, each man takes along with 

 him twice the number of lines, which he continues to 

 bait, haul, and fhoot, without interruption. 



But this method of fiftiing, operofe as it may feem, and 

 this extent of line, though it runs three miles along the 

 bottom, is trifling when compared to the exertions made 

 in the Mediterranean by the Italian fifhers ; there they 

 go to fea in a "Tartan, a veflel much larger than ours ; 

 and they bait a line of no lefs than twenty miles long, 

 with above ten thoufand hooks. This line is called the 

 parifina ; and the fifhing goes by the name of pielago *. 

 A piece of tackle of fuch enormous length, it is impoffi- 

 ble to hawl and flioot in the fame fpace with the Etighjh 

 lines : it remains for a confiderable fpace in the fea, and 

 cannot be taken up in lefs than twenty-four hours. By this 

 apparatus, they not only take rays, but fharks and other 

 fifh ; fome of which are above a thoufand pound weight. 

 When a fifli of this magnitude is found at the line, the 

 fifliermen are provided with an harpoon to difpatch them 

 before they are brought on board. 



* ridtGoWvoith, 



