174 TRAVELS iisr 
from five to fix feet in length, and of proportion- 
able thicknefs, of a dufky brown colour, fpotted with 
black. The Indians make ufe of their fharp teeth 
to fcratch or bleed fchemfelves with, and their pointed 
fcales to arm their arrows. This fifh is fometimes 
eaten, and, to px^epare them for food, they cover 
them whole in hot embers, where they bake them; 
the ikin with the fcales eafily peels off, leaving the 
meat white and tender. 
The mud fifh is large, thick or round, and two 
feet in length ; his meat white and tender, but foft 
and taftes of the mud, and is not much efteemed. 
The great devouring trout and catfifh are in abun- 
dance ; the golden bream or funfifh, the red bellied 
bream, the filver or white bream, the great yellow 
and great black or blue bream, alfo abound here. 
The laft of thefe mentioned, is a large, beautiful, 
and delicious fifh; when full grown they are nine 
inches in length, and five to fix inches in breadth $ 
the whole body is of a dull blue or indigo colour, 
marked with tranfverfe lifts or zones of a darker co- 
lour, fcatteringly powdered with fky blue, gold and 
red fpecks ; fins and tail of a dark purple or livid 
fiefti colour; the ultimate angle of the branchioftega 
forming a fpatula, the extreme end of which is 
broad and circular, terminating like the feather of 
the peacock's train, and having a brilliant fpot or eye 
like it, being delicately painted with a fringed bor- 
der of a fire colour. 
The great yellow or particoloured bream is in 
form and proportion much like the forementioned, 
but* larger, from a foot to fifteen inches in length; 
his back from head to tail is of a dark clay and dulky 
colour, with tranfverfe dallies or blotches, of red- 
difh dull purple, or foluifh, according to different 
expofures 
