61 
barracouta and mackerel constitute the chief food of the 
population. ' 
The fish field, which is represented as bountiful, is 
regarded with indifference. Although the fishermen have 
comparatively no bad weather to encounter, there is really 
no system of fishing or fishing trade. “Beyond a very 
partial and scanty contribution to the supply of food 
for the inhabitants, no use,” according to the above- 
quoted author, “is made of the fish, or profits derived 
from it.” 
St. Helena and its surrounding sea offer a grand opening 
of economic importance for a large fish industry which 
might rival that of the Cape Colony. 
The small amount of fishing carried on is with hook and 
line, either from the shore or from small rowing boats, 
which do not venture far out from the island. 
The values of imports for 1880 and 1881 are returned as 
£54,272 and £53,169, and include £37 and £78 on account 
of imported fish, and £55 and £64 on account of intro- 
duced salt. 
It is as well to know that St. Helena seems to be 
resorted to as the depdét for the American whale industry 
of the South Atlantic and more southern seas. 
The Blue Books for the island show that there were 
imported by American whalers, and exported in American 
ships for the U.S., in 1879, 1880, and 1881, connected with 
this trade, bone and oil to the returned value of £32,190, 
£50,730, and £27,680. 
In a most useful map of the world, prepared by the 
United States, and courteously placed at my disposal for 
the present occasion, there will be seen the extent and dis- 
tribution of the present and abandoned American whaling 
grounds. 
