THETARPON 41 



which they saw is passed by or comes nigh. I have 

 seen them under Sail and they have thus vanished 

 on a Sudden. The Fish which they take near the 

 Shore with their Nets are Snooks, Dog fish and 

 sometimes Tarpoms. The Tarpom is a large scaly 

 Fish shaped much like a Salmon but somewhat 

 flatter. 'Tis of a dull Silver Colour with Scales 

 as big as a Half Crown. A large Tarpom will 

 weigh 25 or 50 Pound. 'Tis good sweet whole- 

 some Meat and the Flesh is solid and firm. In its 

 Belly you shall find two large Scolops of Fat 

 weighing two or three Pound each; I never knew 

 any taken with Hook and Line ; but are either with 

 Nets or by striking them with Harpoons at which 

 the Moskito-Men are very expert. The Nets for 

 this Purpose are made with strong double Twine 

 the meshes five or six inches square. For if they 

 are too small so that the Fish be not entangled 

 therein he presently draws himself a little back- 

 ward and then springs over tho Net; Yet I have 

 seen them taken in a Sain made with small Meshes 

 in this manner. After we had enclosed a great 

 number, whilst the two ends of the net were draw- 

 ing ashore ten or twelve naked men have followed ; 

 when a Fish struck against the net the next Man 

 to it grasped both Net and Fish in his Arms and 

 held all fast till others came to his Assistance. 

 Besides these we had three Men in a Canoa in 

 which they mov'd Side-ways after the Net; and 

 many of the Fish in springing over the Net would 

 fall into the Canoa. And by these means we 



