Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1897-08-04
CATCHING FLYING FISH.
1t Is an Important Industry OFF the Coast
of Barbados.

1t Is an Important Industry OFF the Coast
of Barbados.
Off the coast of Barbados, where
q species known as ExocRtts wolf
tans is found, flying fish are very
good food and form the staple of a
considerable industry. The negroes
go out in small boats and catch them,
mostly at night. After good catch
the boats come into shallow water,
where they are met by negroes with
large baskets, into which the fish
are cast These baskets are carried
to the shore, where they are put on
to light, single wheel trucks some
thing between railway porter's
truck and light wheelbarrow-and
SO conveyed by another set of blacks
to the market. Here are gathered
together large number of negro
women, all eager to secure good fish
to hawk in the street. These women
know their business thoroughly and
have keen eye for bargain. They
affect Indifference, and some will
even smoke pipe as if to show how
little concerned they are in what is
going on.
This, however, deceives no one,
for every one concerned knows that
each woman is trembling with i'm
patience to secure the best fish at
the lowest rates. Indeed, as to bar
gains, they are as fond of making
them as any lady shopping in the
west end and make them much bet
ter than their fairer sisters. Hav-
ing secured as many fish as they re-
quire, they hoist the baskets on to
their heads and cry their wares
through the town, and usually do
not take very long to sell the lot
Clad in white, with short skirts,
showing bare, shiny, black legs, and
with baskets on their heads, these
sturdy fshwives present a very pic
turesque appearance, and when
Sambo. the ever obsequious waiter,
serves you with a plate of flying
fish at your dinner you may be very
certain that the fish has been bought
from one of these dusky hawkers.
You afterward learn from grinning
Sambo that your wish to encourage
their trade has been fulfilled, for
there is no other source from which
fish can be got except from these
black but comedy tshwives
Flying fish are so called from the
fact that they have the peotoral fins
SO large that they are enabled to
make short fights or leaps from the
water. It is a vexed question whether
or not the flying fishes use their pee
toral fins for flight, but the general
belief is that the fins act merely aft
or the manner of parachute or of
a kite. However that may be, these
fish possess the power Of rising from
the water to height of 20 feet, and
often fall on the decks of ships
More frequently they skim along
the water. There are several kinds
Of flying fish, more than 80 species
being known. They inhabit the !
seas Of the warmer parts of the
world. They swim in shoals, vary
ing from IL to 100 or more. 1t is a
fine sight to see whole shoal rise
out of the water and dart through
the air for a couple of hundred yards
and then drop into the sea together
to continue the fight. The cause of
the hurry is apparent when you see
a hungry dolphin in hot pursuit of |
the shoal. taking great leaps after
his prey. The flying fish take shorter
and shorter flights, until at last they
sink into the water and fall easy
victims to their pursuer. London
Graphic.