52 C A B A C E I R O. 
mersed in spirits. A great number of slaves, men, women, and 
children, were always seen at low water engaged in collecting 
shell fish^ and the produce of their labour constitutes their chief 
means of subsistence. The appearance of these figures at night 
moving along the beach by torch-light, formed occasionally a very 
interesting scene, and, when the moon was seen obscurely through 
the trees, and the torches waved to and fro were reflected by the 
waters, an unusual and almost magical illusion was produced. 
Some of the fishermen use wicker baskets, resembling our eel- 
baskets, which are left a little beyond low water mark during 
the flow of the tide, and on its retiring they seldom fail to furnish 
an ample supply of small fish. It may be worthy of remark that 
this mode of fishing is mentioned in thePeriplus as having been 
practiced at Rhapta ; but from the practice being general along 
the coast it affords no clue (as Dr. Vincent expected it might,) to 
fix the site of that place. The species of oyster, caught on this 
coast, is that known by the name of the Hammer oyster, and it 
is said to yield pearls of considerable value ; yet though we 
opened a considerable number, we could never discover the 
slightest trace of any. 
Where sea productions are numerous, one may generally expect 
to meet with a great variety of birds ; the beach was accord- 
ingly covered with flamingoes, spoon-bills, herns of a large kind, 
curlews, snipes and sand-larks, besides several species of sea- 
gulls. 
