BABRANQUILLA. 



39 



them except perhaps an old piece of bagging or a few plantain 

 leaves. 



The water front of the market seemed to be the place of sale for 

 fish. Although we saw no fresh fish, there Avere immense heaps of 

 dried fish, split in the same way that our fishermen prepare mack- 

 erel. The greater part were small, but there were some large ones 

 with immense scales. One that I examined closely looked to me 

 exactly like the figures of the tarpon. It had the same general 

 shape, the same thin, projecting under jaw, the large eye and scales, 

 and the pointed projection from the dorsal fin. The Indian name 

 was " savalo," and they said that it came from higher up the river. 



THE SAVALO OR TARPON. 



(From Goode's " American Fishes.") 



Those that I saw were about two and a half feet long. Mr. Milli- 

 can, in his " Adventures of an Orchid Hunter," p. 103, speaks of 

 this fish, and says that he has seen specimens " seven feet long and 

 two feet six inches in girth " ! We also saw great piles of dried 

 shrimps, which were sold by measure. They are eaten boiled with 

 rice, but in my estimation the rice is sadly damaged by the 

 addition. 



There is in the town a street-car line, where little cars are drawn 

 by sorry-looking mules, but it does not seem to be patronized. The 

 streets are paved in but a few places ; the rest is soft white sand, 

 trying to the eyes when the sun is shining, and making all driving- 

 very heavy. 



