And After
A Circuit Of Many Miles And Between Twenty And Thirty Hauls, Seldom More
Than A Hundred Pounds Of Fish Were Taken.
However, it sometimes happens
that a glut enters the harbour, and for a few days they sufficiently abound.
But the universal voice of all professed fishermen is that they never fished
in a country where success was so precarious and uncertain.
I shall not pretend to enumerate the variety of fish which are found.
They are seen from a whale to a gudgeon. In the intermediate classes
may be reckoned sharks of a monstrous size, skait, rock-cod, grey-mullet,
bream, horse-mackarel, now and then a sole and john dory, and innumerable
others unknown in Europe, many of which are extremely delicious,
and many highly beautiful. At the top of the list, as an article of food,
stands a fish, which we named light-horseman. The relish of this
excellent fish was increased by our natives, who pointed out to us
its delicacies. No epicure in England could pick a head with more glee
and dexterity than they do that of a light-horseman.
Reptiles in the swamps and covers are numerous. Of snakes there are two
or three sorts: but whether the bite of any of them be mortal,
or even venomous, is somewhat doubtful. I know but of one well attested
instance of a bite being received from a snake. A soldier was bitten
so as to draw blood, and the wound healed as a simple incision usually does
without shewing any symptom of malignity. A dog was reported to be bitten
by a snake, and the animal swelled and died in great agony. But I will
by no means affirm that the cause of his death was fairly ascertained.
It is, however, certain that the natives show, on all occasions,
the utmost horror of the snake, and will not eat it, although they esteem
lizards, goannas, and many other reptiles delicious fare. On this occasion
they always observe that if the snake bites them, they become lame,
but whether by this they mean temporary or lasting lameness I do not pretend
to determine. I have often eaten snakes and always found them palatable
and nutritive, though it was difficult to stew them to a tender state.
Summer here, as in all other countries, brings with it a long list of insects.
In the neighborhood of rivers and morasses, mosquitoes and sandflies
are never wanting at any season, but at Sydney they are seldom numerous
or troublesome. The most nauseous and destructive of all the insects
is a fly which blows not eggs but large living maggots, and if the body
of the fly be opened it is found full of them. Of ants there are
several sorts, one of which bites very severely. The white ant
is sometimes seen. Spiders are large and numerous. Their webs
are not only the strongest, but the finest, and most silky I ever felt.
I have often thought their labour might be turned to advantage.
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