The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-05-01
CATCHING FLYING FISH.
An Important Industry on the Coast
of BarbadOes.

An Important Industry on the Coast
of Barbadoes.
Off the coast of Barbados, where O
species known as Exocoetus Volitans
is found, flying fish are very good food.
and form the staple of considerable
industry. The negroes go out in small
boats and catch them mostly at night.
After q 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 car
ried to the shore, where they are put
on light single-wheel trucks-some-
and light wheelbarrow-ands so con-
veyed by another set of blacks to the
market. Here are gathered together
large number of negro women, all eager
70 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 impotence
to secure the best fish at the lowest
rate. Indeed las to bargains, they are
as fond of making them as any lady
shopping in the West End, and make
them much better than their fairer sis
tors. Having secured as many fish as
they require, 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 fishwives pre-
sent q very picturesque appearances;
and when Sambo, the ever-obsequious
waiter, serves you with plate of flying
fish at your dinner, you may be very
certain that the fish has been bought
from one of these duslly hawkers. You
afterward learn from grinning Sambo
that your wish to encourage their trade
has been fulfilled, and there is no other
source from which fish can be got ex-
cept from these black, but comely,
fishwives.
Ing llSl iIS 81 Culltu lioul piiC iuSe
that they have the pectoral fins so
large that they are enabled to make
short flights or leaps from the water.
1t is n vexed question whether or not
the flying fishes use their pectoral fins
for fight, but the general belief is that
the fins act merely after the manner Of
parachute or of kite. However that
may be, these fish possess the pow
er of rising from the water to a
height Of 90 feet, and often fall
on the decks Of ships. More fire.
quently they skim along the water.
There are several kinds of flying fish,
more than 30 species being known.
They inhnbit the seas Of the warmer
parts Of the world. They swim in
shoals, varying from ~ to 100 or more
1t Is fine sight to see whole shoal
rise out of the water and dart through
the mir for couple of hundred yards,
and then drop into the sea together
to continue the flight. 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.