Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-03-01
Flying Fish.
[From the BROOKLYN Eagle. !

People who travel on tropical seas are
| always entertained with the movements
of the flying fish above the water. Just
as soon as you strike the warm waters of
the south, the fin winged being, of which
there are several species, is seen darting
above the surface of the ocean, and, af-
ter flying about thirty or forty yards,
disappear again. In it's appearance it
resembles the herring, and it makes as
good eating as that very palatable fish.
1t has two wings, like pectoral fms, by
which it is enabled to sustain itself in the
air for short flight TT is a very re-
markable fact that it is more frequently
observed during rough weather than
during calm, and its movements are Of
ten modified by the wind. It is hard
to tell why wings should be given to
this creature of the deep and not to other
species. But by them it is often en-
abled to escape from the jaws of fish
that pursue it, and particularly the dol
phin, which sw1ms very rapidly. The
dolphin is about the size of salmon,
and it could very easily swallow at one
mOuthful three or four of these flying
fish, the track of which it loses when
they rise from the water But this does
not always save their lives, for the dol
phin is swift in its movements under
water and gives but little warning to it's
enemies. In the Caribbean Sea, oppo-
site the Island of Barbados, the flying
fish are found in great quantities. In
fact, at no time can you look on the
water without beholding them flying
hither and thither and sporting them
selves like swallows on lake. When
there is no land in sight the appearance
of the flying fish is exceedingly cheering
to the traveller and tells of some
Boats for catching them, manned by
black fishermen, are always to be seen
about Barbados. AS soon as a school of
fish is sighted the sail is hoisted, or, if
there is no wind, the men use their oars
to get to the place where they think
their labors will be best rewarded. They
drop their nets into the sea and throw
bread around for the fish to eat, and the
fish run right into their prisons to get
the food, and very seldom find their way
out again. In Barbados these fish are
called beef, and indeed they are the most
paIatable kind of food on this island
The small ones sell for cents dozen
and the large ones are sold at penny
apiece and upward. 1t will be easily
seen they are very plentiful when they
can be disposed of at such price. AS
the fish usually appear during rough
sea the fishermen sometimes experience
a good deal of trouble in capturing
them. The men are often knocked over
board by the action of the boat in NOV
ing from side to side, but a dip in the
water is nothing to darkey, if there are
no sharks around. During a calm,
nothing delights him more than plunge
into the ocean. 1t would be hard mat
ter for him to reach the bottom, as the
water is many fathoms deep; but he
dives out of sight. Next to the pearl
divers the fishermen of the flying fish are
the best submarine divers in the Nrld.
But this experience under water for a
minute or two twenty and thirty times a
day is very injurious to the lungs, and
those who lead such life usually die the
death of a consumptive. Consumption
is common in these West Indian Islands,
and great deal of it can be traced di-
rectly to the amphibious life that the
negroes lead. Flying fish are also caught
at night by the aid of submarine lamp
which is dropped overheard, and so at
tracts them into the net.