Call'd a Bottle-Nosed Whale,
the other a Shovel-Nose, which is as different as a Salmon from a Sturgeon.
These Fish seldom come ashoar with their Tongues in their Heads,
the Thrasher (which is the Whale's mortal Enemy, wheresoever he meets him)
eating that out of his Head, as soon as he and the Sword-Fish have kill'd him.
For when the Whale-catchers (in other Parts) kill any of these Fish,
they eat the Tongue, and esteem it an excellent Dish.
There is another sort of these Whales, or great Fish,
though not common. I never knew of above one of that sort,
found on the Coast of North Carolina, and he was contrary, in Shape,
to all others ever found before him; being sixty Foot in Length,
and not above three or four Foot Diameter. Some Indians in America
will go out to Sea, and get upon a Whales Back, and peg or plug up his Spouts,
and so kill him.
{Thrashers.}
The Thrashers are large Fish, and mortal Enemies to the Whale,
as I said before. They make good Oil; but are seldom found.
{Divel-Fish.}
The Divel-Fish lies at some of our Inlets, and, as near as I can describe him,
is shap'd like a Scate, or Stingray; only he has on his Head
a Pair of very thick strong Horns, and is of a monstrous Size, and Strength;
for this Fish has been known to weigh a Sloop's Anchor,
and run with the Vessel a League or two, and bring her back, against Tide,
to almost the same Place. Doubtless, they may afford good Oil;
but I have no Experience of any Profits which arise from them.
{Sword-Fish.}
The Sword-Fish is the other of the Whale's Enemies, and joins
with the Thrasher to destroy that Monster. After they have overcome him,
they eat his Tongue, as I said before, and the Whale drives ashoar.
{Crampois.}
Crampois is a large Fish, and by some accounted a young Whale;
but it is not so; neither is it more than twenty five or thirty Foot long.
They spout as the Whale does, and when taken yield good Oil.
{Bottle-Noses.}
Bottle-Noses are between the Crampois and Porpois, and lie near the Soundings.
They are never seen to swim leisurely, as sometimes all other Fish do,
but are continually running after their Prey in Great Shoals,
like wild Horses, leaping now and then above the Water. The French
esteem them good Food, and eat them both fresh and salt.
{Porpoises.}
Porpoises are frequent, all over the Ocean and Rivers that are salt;
nay, we have a Fresh-Water Lake in the great Sound of North Carolina
that has Porpoises in it. And several sorts of other unknown Fish,
as the Indians say, that we are wholly Strangers to. As to the Porpoises,
they make good Oil; they prey upon other Fish as Drums, yet never are known
to take a Bait, so as to be catch'd with a Hook.
{Sharks.}
Of these there are two sorts; one call'd Paracooda-Noses;
the other Shovel-Noses; they cannot take their Prey before
they turn themselves on their Backs; wherefore some Negro's,
and others, that can swim and dive well, go naked into the Water,
with a Knife in their Hand, and fight the Shark, and very commonly kill him,
or wound him so, that he turns Tail, and runs away. Their Livors make
good Oil to dress Leather withal; the Bones found in their Head
are said to hasten the Birth, and ease the Stone, by bringing it away.
Their Meat is eaten in scarce times; but I never could away with it,
though a great Lover of Fish. Their Back-Bone is of one entire Thickness.
Of the Bones, or Joints, I have known Buttons made, which serve well enough
in scarce Times, and remote Places.
{Dog-Fish.}
The Dog-Fish are a small sort of the Shark Kind; and are caught
with Hook and Line, fishing for Drums. They say, they are good Meat;
but we have so many other sorts of delicate Fish, that I shall hardly ever
make Tryal what they are.
{Spanish-Mackarel.}
Spanish Mackarel are, in Colour and Shape, like the common Mackarel,
only much thicker. They are caught with Hook and Line at the Inlets,
and sometimes out a little way at Sea. They are a very fine hard Fish,
and of good Taste. They are about two Foot long, or better.
{Cavallies.}
Cavallies are taken in the same Places. They are of a brownish Colour,
have exceeding small Scales, and a very thick Skin; they are as firm a Fish
as ever I saw; therefore will keep sweet (in the hot Weather) two days,
when others will stink in half a day, unless salted. They ought to be scaled
as soon as taken; otherwise you must pull off the Skin and Scales,
when boiled; the Skin being the choicest of the Fish. The Meat,
which is white and large, is dress'd with this Fish.
{Boneto's.}
Boneto's are a very palatable Fish, and near a Yard long.
They haunt the Inlets and Water near the Ocean; and are killed
with the Harpoon, and Fishgig.
{Blue-Fish.}
The Blue Fish is one of our best Fishes, and always very fat.
They are as long as a Salmon, and indeed, I think, full as good Meat.
These Fish come (in the Fall of the Year) generally after
there has been one black Frost, when there appear great Shoals of them.
The Hatteras Indians, and others, run into the Sands of the Sea,
and strike them, though some of these Fish have caused
Sickness and violent Burnings after eating of them, which is found
to proceed from the Gall that is broken in some of them, and is hurtful.
Sometimes, many Cart-loads of these are thrown and left dry on the Sea side,
which comes by their eager Pursuit of the small Fish,
in which they run themselves ashoar, and the Tide leaving them,
they cannot recover the Water again.
