65 
steamers could be used during the slack trade time, if the 
herring season suited, in increasing the catch. 
This Paper must, I would deign to hope, be therefore 
viewed, not as a scientific venture, nor yet as the exponent 
of any theories—for other demands on my time have not 
admitted of my following up, as closely as I should have 
wished, fish as a study—but rather as a convenient collec- 
tion of gleanings from and references to other works bear- 
ing on the subject, and the record of my own experience. 
I must acknowledge its incompleteness and imperfection, 
but console myself with the hope that it contains informa- 
tion which may have escaped others either in reading or 
in observation, and may form a groundwork for later, if 
not correction, at least elaboration and study on the part of 
those who can spare the time to the subject, and thus prove 
to be the means of attracting increased attention to that 
interesting and not “ Expiring continent,” with an ultimate 
issue of beneficial results, whether in the shape of addition 
to fish or other industries—a grand opening—or in a 
humanitarian sense of a more full and healthy food supply, 
and of consequent indirect beneftt to the well-being of our 
People in Africa. 
Yet, while I confess that this task might have fallen to 
better and more able hands, I will not give way in the 
sense of pleasure I have felt in undertaking it, feeling that 
it is the bounden duty of every one to promote, as far as 
his lights may admit, whether directly or indirectly, the 
condition of the people among whom his lot may be cast. 
The Missionaries, in all the ramifications of their work, 
the Mercantile World, outside the circle of Government 
officials, represent means of contribution of material towards 
increased scientific knowledge, and it is to be hoped that 
an allusion to their importance as Agents in such a way 
[33] F 
