History of the Local Names of Cape Fish. 211 
the absence of the fish itself from South African waters in those 
days. 
It is not mentioned by Kolbe, 1731, nor by Barrow, 1806, but 
appears in Pappe’s list, 1853, with the following note: ‘‘ It is remark- 
able that this fish, a notorious denizen of European Seas, was utterly 
unknown at the Cape of Good Hope before the earthquake of 1809 
(December 4th). At first it was scarce and sold at exorbitant prices 
(4s. 6d.). Since that period it has yearly increased in numbers, 
and is now a standard fish on the market, being caught in great 
abundance.” 
This, however, may be received with a certain amount of reserva- 
tion till more evidence is forthcoming. 
We may note here the derivation of a word used in the Colony 
having the same double meaning as Stok-visch. It is ‘‘ Bokkum,” 
signifying in the Colony a small Harder, or Mullet, but also any small 
fish preserved whole. It is without doubt a corruption of the 
word ‘‘ bokking’”’ used in Holland, to signify smoked Herring—the 
small kind caught late in the year in the Zuider Zee being used 
for this purpose. 
Gadus morrhua (called in Holland the Kabeljaauw, in England the 
Cod) does not occur in South Africa, but the names have been taken 
over to designate another fish which occurs in Hurope, and is known 
in Holland as the Omber-visch, in England as the Meagre. This 
may be made clear by the following table :— 
Merlucius vulgaris. Gadus morrhua. Sciena aquila. 
Europe { (Holland) Stok-visch* Kabeljaauw Omber-visch 
| (England) Hake Cod Meagre 
SOublpAdttiea: 6 2).c..5 5 oe Stok-visch Absent Kabeljaauw 
or Hake or Cape Cod 
It will be seen from this that the identity of Merlucius vulgaris 
with the northern form was recognised by both the Dutch and 
English, but not that of Sciena aquila, which received the popular 
name given to Gadus morrhua in HKurope (Kabeljaauw), the reason 
no doubt being that it is a somewhat rare fish in Holland and 
England though abundant in South Africa, and, curiously enough, 
common in the Mediterranean. 
This fish was most probably the Cape Cod, well known to English 
seamen of early days as affording a welcome change of food on the 
long journey by the Cape to India. In the repertoire of wonderful 
stories of many an old sea captain is a more or less exaggerated 
account of the abundance of ‘‘Cape Cod” on the Agulhas Bank. 
* Dried Kabeljauw and dried Stok-visch also called in Holland Stok-visch. 
Q 
