With a forked Tail, as a Mackarel has.
They are a delicate Fish, and plentiful in our Salt-Waters.
Infinite numbers of other Species will be hereafter discover'd
as yet unknown to us; although I have seen and eaten of several other
sorts of Fish, which are not here mention'd, because, as yet,
they have no certain Names assign'd them. Therefore, I shall treat no farther
of our Salt-Water Fish, but proceed to the Fresh.
{Fresh Water Sturgeon.}
The first of these is the Sturgeon, of which we have Plenty,
all the fresh Parts of our Rivers being well stor'd therewith.
The Indians upon and towards the Heads and Falls of our Rivers,
strike a great many of these, and eat them; yet the Indians
near the Salt-Waters will not eat them. I have seen an Indian
strike one of these Fish, seven Foot long, and leave him on the Sands
to be eaten by the Gulls. In May, they run up towards
the Heads of the Rivers, where you see several hundreds of them in one day.
The Indians have another way to take them, which is by Nets
at the end of a Pole. The Bones of these Fish make good Nutmeg-Graters.
{Pike.}
The Jack, Pike, or Pickerel, is exactly the same, in Carolina,
as they are in England. Indeed, I never saw this Fish so big and large
in America, as I have in Europe, these with us being seldom
above two Foot long, as far as I have yet seen. They are very plentiful
with us in Carolina, all our Creeks and Ponds being full of them.
I once took out of a Ware, above three hundred of these Fish, at a time.
{Trouts.}
The same in England as in Carolina; but ours are a great way up
the Rivers and Brooks, that are fresh, having swift Currents,
and stony, and gravelly Bottoms.
{Gudgeon.}
The same Gudgeons as in Europe are found in America.
{First Pearch.}
The same sort of Pearch as are in England, we have likewise in Carolina,
though, I think, ours never rise to be so large as in England.
{Second Pearch.}
We have a white Pearch, so call'd, because he is of a Silver Colour,
otherwise like the English Pearch. These we have in great Plenty,
and they are preferable to the red ones.
{Third Pearch.}
The brown Pearch, which some call Welch-men, are the largest
sort of Pearches that we have, and very firm, white and sweet Fish.
These grow to be larger than any Carp, and are very frequent
in every Creek and Pond.
{Fourth flat.}
The flat or mottled Pearch are shaped almost like a Bream.
They are called Irish-men, being freckled or mottled with black,
and blue Spots. They are never taken any where, but in the fresh Water.
They are good Fish; but I do not approve of them, no more
than of the other sorts of Pearch.
{Fifth Pearch, or Round Robin.}
We have another sort of Pearch, which is the least sort of all,
but as good Meat as any. These are distinguish'd from the other sorts,
by the Name of Round-Robins; being flat, and very round-shap'd;
they are spotted with red Spots very beautiful, and are easily caught
with an Angle, as all the other sort of Pearches are.
{Carp.}
We have the same Carp as you have in England.
{Roach.}
And the same Roach; only scarce so large.
{Dace.}
Dace are the same as yours too; but neither are these so large nor plentiful,
as with you.
{Loach.}
The same as in England.
{Sucking-Fish.}
Sucking-Fish are the nearest in Taste and Shape to a Barbel,
only they have no Barbs.
{Cat-Fish.}
Cat-Fish are a round blackish Fish, with a great flat Head, a wide Mouth,
and no Scales; they something resemble Eels in Taste. Both this sort,
and another that frequents the Salt Water, are very plentiful.
{Grindals.}
Grindals are a long scaled Fish with small Eyes; and frequent Ponds, Lakes,
and slow-running Creeks and Swamps. They are a soft sorry Fish,
and good for nothing; though some eat them for good Fish.
{Old-Wives.}
These are a bright scaly Fish, which frequent the Swamps, and fresh Runs;
they seem to be between an English Roach and a Bream, and eat much like
the latter. The Indians kill abundance of these, and barbakue them,
till they are crisp, then transport them, in wooden Hurdles,
to their Towns and Quarters.
{Fountain-Fish.}
The Fountain-Fish are a white sort which breed in the clear Running Springs
and Fountains of Water, where the Clearness thereof makes them very difficult
to be taken. I cannot say how good they are; because I have not as yet
tasted of them.
{White-Fish.}
The white Fish are very large; some being two Foot and a half long and more.
They are found a great way up in the Freshes of the Rivers; and are firm Meat,
and an extraordinary well-relish'd Fish.
{Barbouts Millers Thumbs.}
Barbouts and Millers-Thumbs, are the very same here, in all respects,
as they are in England. What more are in the fresh Waters
we have not discover'd, but are satisfied, that we are not acquainted
with one third part thereof; for we are told by the Indians,
of a great many strange and uncouth shapes and sorts of Fish,
which they have found in the Lakes laid down in my Chart.
However as we can give no farther Account of these than by Hear-say;
I proceed to treat of the Shell-Fish that are found in the Salt-Water,
so far as they have already come to our Knowledge.
