' PORPESSE. 407 
the natives adopt the following method of catching 
them. When the fishing season arrives, the peo- 
ple collect together a great number of sallow twigs, 
or slender branches of other trees, and stick them 
pretty firmly into the sand-banks of the river, 
which at low water are left dry : this is done on 
the side towards the river, forming a long line of 
twigs at moderate distances, which at the upper 
end is connected with the shore, an opening being 
left at the lower end that they may enter. As the 
tide rises, it covers the twigs, so as to keep them 
out of sight : the porpesse, in quest of his prey, 
gets within the line, where he continues his chase 
till he finds, by the ebbing of the tide, that it is 
time to retire into deeper water. He now makes 
towards the river, but the twigs being then in part 
above water, and ail agitated by the current, he 
no sooner sees them shaking about than he takes 
fright, and retreats backwards as far as he cam 
from this tremendous rampart. The tide stilt 
continuing to ebb, he returns time after time ; but, 
never being able to overcome his dread of these 
terrific twigs, he rolls about pntil he is deserted 
entirely by the water ; when those who placed the 
snare rush out in numbers, properly armed, and 
in this defenceless state overpower him with ease* 
In this manner more than a hundred of these huge 
creatures (one of which will yi^ld about a hogs- 
head of oil) have been killed at one tide. 
The porpesse was once considered as a sump- 
tuous article of food, and is said to have been 
occasionally introduced at the tables of the old 
English nobility. It was eaten with a sauce com- 
posed of sugar, vinegar, and crumbs of fine bread. 
It is, howeyer, now generally neglected, even by the 
sailors. 
In America the skin of this animal is tanned and 
dressed with considerable care, At first it is ex- 
