ABUNDANCE OF FISH ON NEW ENGLAND COAST. 157 



powred dowue his throat, he has recovered, & the swelling asswaged 

 by the next day. The like experiment hath bin. made upon a boy that 

 hath by chance troad upon one of these, and the boy never the worse. 

 Therefore it is simplicity in any one that shall tell a bugbeare tale of 

 horrible or terrible Serpents that are in that land. 



•' Mise there are good store, & my Lady Woodbees black gray mal- 

 kin may have pastime enough there: but for rats, the Country by I^a- 

 ture is "troubled with none." fP. oQ, Tract. 5.J 



" Of the Fishes, & what commodity they proove. 



"Among Fishes First I will begin with the Codd, because it is the 

 most commodious of all fish, as may appeare, b\" the use which is made 

 of them in foraigue parts." 



'• The Codd fishing is much used in America, (whereof New England 

 is part) in so much as 300. Sayle of shipps, from divers ports, have used 

 to be imployed yearely in that trade." 



" I have scene in one Harboure, next Eichmond Island 15. Sayle of 

 shipps at one time, that have taken in them, driyed Codds for Spaine, 

 & the Straights (& it has bin found that the Saylers have made 15. 18. 

 20. 22. p. Share for a common man." 



*' The Coast aboundeth with such multitudes of Codd, that the inhab- 

 itants of Xew England doe dunge their grounds with Codd ; & it is a 

 commodity better than the golden mines of the Spanish Indies ; for 

 without dried Codd the Spaniard, Portugal & Italian, would not be able 

 to vittell of a shipp for the sea 5 & I am sure at the Canaries it is the 

 l^rincipall commodity ; which place lyeth neere Xew England very con- 

 venient, for tlie vending of this commodity, one hundred of these being 

 at the price of 300. of ^ew found land Codds, great store of traine oyle 

 is mayd of the livers of the Codd, & is a commodity that without ques- 

 tion will enrich the inhabitants of New England quickly 5 & is therefore 

 a principall commodity." 



"The Basse is an excellent Fish, both fresh & Salte one hundred 

 whereof salted (at market) have yielded 5. p. They are so large, the 

 head of one will give a good eater a dinner, & for daintinesse of diet, 

 they excell the Marybones of Beefe. There are such multitudes, that I 

 I have scene stopped into the river close adjoining to my howse with a 

 sand at one tide, so many as will loade a ship of 100 tonnes." 



" Other places have greater quantities in so much, as vragers have 

 bin layed, that one should not throw a stone in the water, but that hee 

 should hit a fish." 



"I myselfe, at the turning of the tyde, have scene such multitudes 

 passe out of a pounde, that it seemed to me, that one might goe over 

 tiieir backs drishod." 



" These follow the bayte up the rivers, & sometimes are followed for 

 Isayte & chased into the bayes, & shallow waters, by the grand pise^ : 

 & these may have also a prime place in the Catalogue of Commodi- 

 ties." 



"The Makarels are the baite for the Basse, & these have been chased 

 into the shallow waters, where so many thousj^nds have shott them- 

 selves a shore with the surfe of the Sea,'that whole hogges-heads have 

 been taken up on the Sands; & for length they excel! any of other 



'Grampus, (S. F. B.) 



