The Porposes
are shaped very bigge and blacke. These chase the smaller schoels of
fish from the mayne sea into the hauens, leaping vp and downe in the
water, tayle after top, and one after another, puffing like a fat
lubber out of breath, and following the fish with the flood, so long
as any depth will serue to bear them; by which means they are
sometimes intercepted: for the Borderers watching vntill they be past
farre vp into some narrow creeke, get belowe them with their Boats,
and cast a strong corded net athwart the streame, with which, and
their lowd and continuall showting and noyse making, they fray and
stop them from retyring, vntill the ebbe haue abandoned them to the
hunters mercy, who make short worke with them, and (by an olde
custome) share them amongst all the assistants with such
indifferencie, as if a woman with child bee present, the babe in her
wombe is gratified with a portion: a poynt also obserued by the
Speare-hunters in taking of Sammons.
Now from within harbour, we will launch out into the deepe, and see
what luck of fish God there shall send vs, which (so you talke not of
Hares or such vncouth things, for that proues as ominous to the
fisherman, as the beginning a voyage on the day when Childermas day
fell, doth to the Mariner) may succeed very profitable: for the coast
is plentifully stored, both with those foreremembred, enlarged to a
bigger size, & diuers other, as namely of shel-fish, Sea-hedge-hogs,
Scallops & Sheath-fish.
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