262
BARBUDA.
of it almost dragged on shore, the negros outside laughing and splashing and bullying the prisoners, the fishes with one consent became desperate and made a grand sortie by leaping with prodigious force and agility five or six feet out of the water, and fairly clearing the heads of the fishermen. About a hundred escaped in this manner; we secured more than that number of all sorts, but chiefly baracoutas. There were gold and silver fish, snappers, Spanish mackerel, kingfish, two adolescent sharks who would have amputated a baby's arm as soon as looked at it, and three or four bloody, glutinous, cylindrical beasts without head, fins, or tail, for which I know not the Latin appellation, and the trivial name is so peculiar that I cannot find in my heart to write it. I urged another haul of the net, when we caught about a hundred and twenty more fine fellows about a foot and a half in length on an average. The domestics soon set up some bricks, lighted a fire, and broiled us a fresh baracouta, which with our spices and other additaments was really excellent. A tumbler of beer and two glasses of wine made me feel comfortable again, for there was no shade, and the sun had almost sucked all the liquid out of my system. When we had embarked our prey, we weighed anchor, and bore away down the flash amongst the green trees, and got back to the quay by six in the evening. Barbuda is holden under a long lease from