122 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[I^B, 18, 
THE FLYING-FISH FLEET. 
Fak to the South, where the gentle northeast trades 
course over the heated water, lies the coral island of Bar- 
hadoes. It stands boldly to the eastward of all the Carib- 
bean Islands, and is distant only a few hours" sailing from 
Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Bequia and the Spanish 
main. 
In certain seasons of the year drift, carried out to sea by 
the powerful current of the Orinoco reaches this island 
and occasionally the remains of huge alligators, lizards 
and poisonous serpents, which live in Venezuela, are cast 
upon the shore. 
The geological formation of Barbadoes is most interest- 
ing, it having in some ancient period consisted of a soli- 
tary submerged volcanic peak. The coral insects con- 
structed a broad terrace entirely around this peak, and 
then came a gigantic convulsion of nature which upheaved 
the whole mass to a height of 60ft. Again the coral polyps 
builded; another terrace grew, and once more the mass 
was raised. But this was not the end, for another terrace 
was formed and upheaved, and at the presenttime a fourth 
is in process of construction by the same diligent little 
creatures. Upon approaching the island the spectator at 
once observes the symmetrical order of these terraces, 
though they are now much eroded and their lines distorted 
by the throes of nature. 
Barbadoes is the most healthful of all the West Indies, 
and has one of the most equable climates in the woild. 
To these hygienic virtues has been ascribed its popularity 
as a place of recupei-ation for the fever sufferers of less fa- 
vored localities. It has always been a British colonial pos- 
Bession and two English regiments are garrisoned here. 
Being the most densely inhabited pastoral spot of land in 
the world, every acre of its surface is cultivated to the high- 
est possible extent to support this immense population. 
Verdant fields of cane wave over its undulating terraces — 
immense patches of yams, eddoes and cassava flourish in 
its valley, while narrow roads of white coral lead to quaint 
old colonial mansions almost hidden among stately groves 
of mahogany and royal palm trees. 
Its freedom from serjjents and noxious insects, its per- 
fect drainage and strict sanitary laws, its cool, balmy 
breezes and refreshing showers, make it a place of quiet, 
healthful rest to the invalid fleeing from the rigors of a 
northern winter; while its wealth of curious shells and 
beautiful corals, its strange fruits and flowers, its brilliant 
birds and queer animals, its busy plantation life and in- 
teresting character studies, are a never failing source of en- 
tertainment to northern visitors. 
In the surrounding waters of this delightful region the 
flying-fish makes his home, the dolphin disports himself 
and huge sea birds sail majestically over the water, prey- 
ing on both. Out on the coral reefs which guard the 
shore thunders the majestic surge of the constant trades, 
sending its milk-white spray across the mussem beds to 
lave the feet of the towering cocoanuts fringing the beach. 
The vicious barracudg., the sharp-toothed mackerel and 
the lumbering shark lurk among the coral caverns near 
shore, while schools of bonitos, sinnets and jacks play in 
the open water over the shallows. 
The flying-fish loves deep water and is found throughout 
the length and breadth of tropical seas. He is fond of 
feeding near the gulf weed of the sargassos, and deposits 
his stringy, glutinous spawn on its yellow branches. Ves- 
sels bound from New York to the Caribbee Islands upon 
reaching the "horse latitudes" sometimes encounter vast 
quantities of drifting weed, strung out into long ribbon-like 
patches, about an eighth of a mile apart. Among this 
golden weed' with its delicate leaves and globular seeds, 
exists a curious family of cuttle fish, crabs, mollusks and 
small fishes. Upon these the flying-fish preys and they in 
turn devour its spawn. Every plunge of the steamer as 
she plows through the blue tropical waters frightens 
dozens of flying-fish into the air, where they scatter in all 
directions, with the .sunlight glistening on their gauzy 
wings. 
The flying-fish of the Atlantic attains a length of nearly 
1ft., and a breadth between wing tips of llin. He has a 
round, compact body, about lin. in diameter near the pec- 
toral fins or wings. There is also an auxiliarj^ pair of ven- 
tral fins or wings, not nearly so large as the pectoral pair. 
The wings are formed by a thin, transparent membrane 
stretched over a delicate, bony framework, and are either 
black, white, or mottled with both. The upper half of the 
entire fish is a metallic blue in color, while the lower por- 
tion is a nacreous white. Black, prominent eyes, a small, 
prehensile mouth, forked tail, dorsal and anal fins, com- 
plete the picture of pne of the most interesting little fishes 
in all nature's vast aquarium. 
In flight he darts from the water to a height of 20ft., and 
goes scudding away before the wind, beating the air rap- 
idly with both wings and tail. He sails straight away for 
1,000ft. or even more, occasionally touching the crest of a 
wave, and seeming to sain a new impetus by the contact. 
The flying-fish fleet bf Barbadoes is the largest in the 
West Indies, and during the fishing season between De- 
cember and June it takes an immense number of these fish, 
which furnish a cheap and abundant food supply for the' 
Barbadians. 
The boats are ungainly open craft, crudely built, with 
naked ribs of mahogany planked with yelloAv pine. Rigged 
with leg-of-mutton mainsail and large, flat jib, they are fairly 
good sailers, and are managed with no little skill and dex- 
terity, notwithstanding their makeshift equipment of burnt 
out ropes, patched sails and unwieldy ballast. Every boat 
carries one or more heavy lines for large fish, some small 
flying-fish hooks, a shark hook, and two nets of ^in. mesh 
stretched over a round bamboo hoop 3ft. in diameter. 
DoAvn to the beach in the early dawn come the fisher- 
men from their dilapidated huts amid the cane and cocoa- 
nut clumps. Great, braM'ny fellows they are as they stand 
ready to plunge into the boiling surf through which they 
must swim to reach their boats. Out over the reef through 
the intricate channel glides the boat. The red glint of the 
morning sun tinges its sails, the northeast trades fill the 
bellying canvas, and soon scores of boats are putting out 
into blue water from behind every palm-fringed bay and 
protecting headland. The trolling line is now trailed out 
astern, and its gwivel-rigged hook spitted with a shining 
fish goes spinning around as an attraction for kingfish, 
gunnet, barracuda or Spanish mackerel. 
The boat moves swiftly out over the submerged coral 
gardens, past the redfish shallows where live the snapper, 
blackjack, covalle, velvets and ningnings, old men, old 
wives, drummer-boys, chubs, pudding-fish, queen mullets, 
hinds, congerees, whip-rays, niggerheads, butterfish, .soap- 
fish, rainboM^ cooks, barbers' grunts, inkfish, horse-ey_es, 
parrot-fiiih and dozens of other interesting fishes most 
wonderfully made ami brilliantly colored. 
Sometimes a hawk-bill tortoise or a green turtle is seen 
lying asleep on the surface of the M'ater. Then the .«kip- 
per runs silently alongside, and before the unwieldy mon- 
ster can dive beneath the wave his flipper is fast in a slip 
noose and he is hauled aboard. 
The shore birds and lazy, croaking pelicans are left 
astern; the red-roofed houses, the green hills and valleys, 
the Avhirling windmills, are all merged in a hazy bai^d of 
emerald on the horizon, while our crew begins to search 
the water for drift, weed seeds, spawn, sea birds and other 
signs of fish. 
A group of whales are feeding under our lee, and the 
deep roar of their blowing reaches us over the heaving 
water. The little calves are spm-fively inclined and broacli 
repeatedly into the air, while the old bull and his cows 
sound the bottom for insect life on the deep sea banks. 
Barbadoes has a whaling station, and many of these mam- 
mals are taken every winter and resolved into oil, whale- 
bone and fertilizers. The fleah both of tlie whale and 
shark is eaten fresh and in a cured state by all the West 
Indian Islanders. 
We are now approaching the flying-fish ground, a,nd a 
few black and white Mother Carey's chickens suddenly 
descend upon us and dart to our outstretched hands for bits 
of food. 
A bos'un bird makes an ineflectual attempt to carry ofl" 
our spinning fish astern, while a "break" of flying-fish 
scatter in all directions as we plow through a long line of 
ocean weed. The command to lower away is sung out by 
the skipper^ the tiller is jammed hard down, and as the 
THE FLXING-raSH. 
boat comes to the wind the halyards are run, stays cast off, 
jibboom inrigged, mast unstopped, and we lie rolling broad- 
side on in the huge regular swells. 
Some stale fish are now macerated and the "mash" hung 
over the side in a sieve-like basket. As the boat is drifting 
to leeward this "scent" goes out to windward, producing a 
calm or "slick" in which the flying-fish begin to gather in 
increasing numbers. 
Two or three dart to the boat, then shoot away again, at 
its slightest plunge, only to return with others and begin a 
closer inspection. They come nearer and nearer in grow- 
ing numbers, until at last, as if deciding that this ungainly 
monster rolling on the deep is their natural protector, they 
nestle up to its sides and swim in droves around it. The 
fish are now "good" and ready to be "dipped" This is 
done at bow and stern by the net men, who scoop them 
gently into the boat two or three at a time. Hold a small 
bit of fish over the side and a dozen will immediately hover 
about j'our hand, swimming over and under your fingers in 
their eagerness to gain the tidbit. 
Flying-fish are divided according to size into pinflsb, 
weely- whistles, youngsters and patriarchs. Only the latter 
come to the boat, and are classed as spawn and milt fish. 
Guineamen are a large species of flying-fish, some three or 
four times heavier than the patriarchs, and cannot be lured 
into the net. They are very gamy when taken on the line 
and generally break into flight over the boat. The be- 
wildered angler then finds that he has hooked a fish, but 
is playing a bird. 
The fisla now swarm around the boat like little chickens, 
and over 2,000 are lying in a glistening heap on the bal- 
last. 
An abandoned whale carcass is drifting up to us from 
leeward, sending out a broad slick or band of oil in all 
directions. A multitude of Mother Carey's chickens are 
hovering over its exposed surface, while a vicious throng 
of barracudas and sharks tear at the blubber underneath. 
As our boat drifts by the carcass these scavengers of the 
ocean make an attack on our school of fiying-fish, sending 
them panic stricken into the air in all directions. Sharks 
thus gorged to repletion with whale blubber do not take 
the hook; but the fishermen are so imbued with the spirit 
of vengeance that they maim and injure them with the 
utmost ferocity. They lure them to the side of the boat 
by means of a flying-fish attached to a string, and thrust 
their keen blades '.ip to the hilt in their sides, dyeing the 
water for yards around with a crimson flood. The savage 
brutes, excited by their own blood, tear each other in 
fury, but at last retire, leaving us to pursue our way in 
peace. 
Sometimes the fishermen are seriously annoyed by a 
fleet of Portuguese men-p'-war. These curious gelatinous 
animals look like pinkish, transparent balloons floating 
on the surface of the water. Long, purple streamers trail 
behind them, and amid this "rigging," as the sailors call 
it, live a number of sailorfish or men-o'-warsmen, who ac- 
company the man-o'-M^ar on all its cruises. When the 
man-o'-war is cast ashore its crew of sailorfish become per- 
fectly frantic and perish of starvation, unless shipped by 
another man-o'-war. 
Woe to the flahermau who in the process of dipping 
comes in contact with these streamers or rigging. They 
seem to produce an almost instantaneous paralysis of the 
nervous ganglia by their contact. The muscles strain in- 
voluntarily, the parts touched burn intensely, the sufferer 
screams with agony, and it is several hours before he finds 
relief. 
The flying-fish fisherman's dinner depends on his suc- 
cess as a netter, otherwise a dry crust or two is his sole re- 
freshment. As the sun approaches the meridian a fire is 
started on the iron ballast in the bottom of the boat, a 
black pot slung amidships, and soon a fine chowder of fly- 
ing-fish, yams, garlic and red peppers is sending its savory 
odor out over the water. How the skipper enjoys this 
part of the day as he sits in the stern, smoking a short 
black pipe. The netmen are bringing in the fish at evfery 
dip; the vertical sun is pouring his torrid rays down on 
their naked bodies. Their perspiring, oily limbs gleam 
like polished ebony as they sway back and forth over their 
work. Fleecy cumulus clouds fioat overhead and are 
mirrored in the seas beneath. Nothing disturbs the silence 
of" this noonday calm but the splash" of the boat as she 
rides the swell, or the harsh croak of sea birds as they 
circle in the air. 
But a contrast is soon forthcoming to this picture of the 
skipper's masterly inactivity and enjoyment of. his sur- 
roundings, for his trained eye has discovered two cobblers 
bearing down from windward. Now cobblers are huge 
sea birds, and by their actions indicate the presence of 
dolphin. If their flight be lofty and circling, they are 
said to be "searching;" but if they sail close to the water 
and dart repeatedly to its surface, dolphins are near at 
hand. The cobbler dashes at the exposed back of the 
dolphin when he appears at the surface and gashes out 
pieces of flesh, which he devours. 
A sight like this arouses the crew into immediate actiT- 
ity, for a "cloud" of dolphin is encountered only once or 
twice in a whole season. Anxious glances are east to 
windward at the approaching cobbler.s. The boat is cleared 
for action. Each man is assigned his station by the skip- 
per, and all stand with quickened pulses eager for the 
fray. 
"The shark is the bull dog of the sea, but the dolphin is 
its hound. He is long and narrow, witli blunt head, bril- 
liant eyes, powerful tail and a leathery skin dotted with 
blue. He weighs from 20 to 401bs. and can change color 
like a chameleon. Lithe and powerful, he scours the sea, 
the very personification of grace and activity. The frantic 
flying-fish darts into the air and skims like a flash light 
for a thousand feet, but the dolphin follows swiftly laeneath 
like a dark shadow and rends his exhausted prey as it 
sinks on the crested wave. 
The excitement is now at fever heat, the flying-fish begin 
to run wild, dark shadowy forms are seen to windward and 
the fishermen mumbles his "obeah" to give him luck; for 
on his success depend many necessities for wife and child, 
tobacco, rum and feast day money. Suddenly our flying- 
fish break from the water in a silvery shower. The cob- 
blers and sea gnlls pursue them in air. the dolphins sur- 
round them beneath the wave. At the first taste of blood 
the dolphins have turned to a bright orange yellow and are 
now said to be in their "biting colors." 
Both ends of the big line are worked with all possible 
celerity. The bait scarcely touches th e water ere a dolphin 
strikes and is drawn aboard, while the rest crowd around 
the boat in a dense pack as if eager for the hook. The 
dolphins in the boat keep up a ceaseless hammering with 
their tails, battering everything breakable into a shapeless 
mass and bruising the fishermen severely. They present 
a beautiful sight in their dying moments, changing color 
rapidly from blue to purple, orange and yellow; while 
overhead a noisy flock of sea birds look down on the scene 
and mingle their cries in the general hubbub. Over fifty 
dolphins are taken in ten minutes, when suddenly they be- 
come frightened and vanish to be seen no more, leaving a 
panting exhausted crew covered with blood from head to 
foot, but supremely happy. 
Tliere are other moments of happiness to the flying-fish 
fisherman, but none that he enjoys so much as when 
catching dolphin. Very rarely he meets with a "sea 
navy," or large congregations of all kinds of large fishes, 
including blackjack, kingfish, gunnet, barracuda, dol- 
phin, shark, porpoise, bonito, billfish and albecore. For 
what reason these fishes assemble in such vast numbers is 
not known. They crowd together closely and churn the 
water into foam for an eighth of a mile in all directions. 
When a sea navy is "hailed" the fisherman endeavors to 
get his boat into the pack and then he can fill it, for at 
such times the fish are ravenous. A large albecore will 
weigh SOOlbs., and it takes the whole crew to handle him. 
After an hour's hard playing he is drawn alongside, and if 
there are no sharks around the best diver on the boat 
goes overboard and puts a sling around its tail, thus assur- 
ing its capture. In a sea navy sharks often throng around 
the boat and nip off' half of each fish as it is drawn aboard. 
About the middle of the afternoon the boats commence 
to make sail for home, and hundreds of sails are soon seen, 
dotting the water in all directions. 
There exists great rivalry among them as to which shall 
put their fish ashore first; and many a victorious boat 
■comes surging up to the wharf under sweeps, with drippiing 
canvas and exhausted crew. 
A ragged, unkempt crowd of women quickly transfer the 
catch to round baskets and start off in all directions 
through Bridgetown, with their burdens poised on their 
turbaned heads. Many of these Avomen will trot ofl' at a 
swinging gait, carrying a burden of lOOlbs., and traversing 
a distance of fifteen miles or more before their last fish is 
,8old and the last cry sounded of "Fe-e-sh he-e-e-r." 
The Barbadian fisherman is very superstitious. All his 
goings and comings are governed by signs; all his ventures 
controlled by traditions brought from darkest Africa in old 
slavery days. He strictly observes all sacred days of what- 
ever creed. His imagination pictures "duppies" walking 
lupon the water and weird figures waving in the sky, which 
iaugur good or evil to his welfare. Strange sounds come to 
him over the water, and the waves eddy and swirl under 
the influence of submarine monsters. His real perils, how- 
ever, are many, and the woman often waits in vain for his 
homecoming. The hurricanes of the summer season de- 
stroy many boats and engulf theii' crews. Waterspouts 
rise suddenly out of the sea and rend in fragments his frail 
craft. 
He is obliged to pick his homeward way with the 
greatest nicety and precision, past hidden reefs, through 
Intricate chapnels,, ip kinds of weather, by day and by 
