MDPOD - Masson du Parc Online Database

Response to the memorandum on fishing in Bengal in general and small-scale fishing on the banks of the Ganges and elsewhere In the Ganges, fishing takes place all year round using nets, and various fish are caught, as shown, with their colour, length and size, and their names in Bengal. In the month of May, when the rains begin to fall, small shad are caught. At the end of November, in some years, large quantities are caught. They block the river with bamboo stakes, leaving only two passages where they place bag-shaped nets, and they catch all the fish in the stream and in the weir. The shad is salted in the same way as herring, which tastes good. The shad is salted in a different way. The fish are cut into pieces and salted for 24 hours. They are then removed from the salt, rubbed with tamarind the thickness of a sheet of paper, and placed in a pot. A month later, the fish are washed and fried, and eaten. They have no bones. The tamarind is edible and appetising. Half vinegar is added to the tamarind, so the fish is not sour. Everyone prepares it according to their taste (margin: keeps for a year). Three days further up the river, a species of sardine is caught, but not in large quantities. It has a fairly good taste. Europeans salt it in brine and smoke it like pickled herring. (Transcribed by Bernard Allaire)

Fish, as depicted, are large and small. The small ones are dried in the sun without salt and sold by weight in the markets. The large ones are salted like dried cod, but less salt is used, and they are dried for sale. It has an unbearable stench, and is sold for 15 to 20 rupees, or 1.5 pounds when well salted by Christians or Europeans. It is good in this country, but fresh fish cannot be kept for more than 6 or 7 hours without spoiling. At the mouth of the Ganges, large oysters are fished and used to make lime. Oysters are good in stews. Lime is made from a shell called jonquera, which is as long as a finger and pyramid-shaped. Turtles are caught, but their flesh is not good and very oily. Lime is also made from a white mollusc used for betel and for whitewashing houses. From the foot of the fathoms to Balasore, 12 leagues away, fish are caught in the sea in November, December, January and February. On land, on the banks, they stretch their low-tide nets with 4-foot-high stakes in the ground. They attach their nets to these stakes (margin: these nets form an enclosure) when the sea rises 12 feet during high tides. The fish are then found on the shore, where they are caught with nets before the sea recedes. They often catch many different kinds of fish. In Balasore, there are a few shells of different shapes but not in large quantities. There are a few rivers that flow into the Balasore harbour where there are oysters but not in large quantities. In the Ganges, the fishermen's boats are flat, very long and pointed at both ends. called dingue, which can carry a barrel or two at most. The boats used for fishing in the backwaters and in Balasore are called patia. They are shaped like a long chest with raised ends and a large rudder attached to the stern. The boats are very resistant to the sea and waves and can pass over all the breakers. They are about two feet wide, and pilots often board them to reach ships in the harbour because the ships' boats cannot leave the river. There are usually five men in each boat when they go fishing at sea. They have nets that are 80 to 100 fathoms long. The top of the net is lined with calabashes and the bottom of the net is lined with terracotta balls. They stretch the net out on the sea or in the river, let it drift a certain distance with the current or the tide, then pull the net back into the boat where they find their fish attached to the net. There is another type of net called a speduie, which a man throws onto the surface of the water. It has weights at the bottom and tightens to catch the fish it finds. There is another type of net that is made in a fairly large triangle shape, which is placed on a boat stretched out with two poles, then lowered into the water and lifted up again with a counterweight. Small fish are caught with this net. There is yet another net that is dragged behind a

boat with a cul-de-sac. They catch small fish. They also have a line attached to a cul-de-sac, which is tied by two ropes to an anchor buried in the ground and enclosed in a large bamboo jetty that they throw wherever they want to set their nets. It buries itself in the mud and holds the net with banaste (basket) buoys. When there is little water, they attach two poles to the side of the net, which they push into the mud, spread the mouth of the net to the tide or the judge, and raise it at every tide to remove the fish. There are no other fisheries in Bengal than those mentioned above. The common people value fish because most of the gentiles eat only fish and vegetables and no meat. There are many gentiles who do not eat fish because their caste forbids them to eat anything that is alive. The rich Moors do not value fish. They eat meat every day. Poor Moors value fish because it costs them less than meat. Fish is also prepared by frying it in butter. Once cooked, it is left to cool. When cold, it is placed in vinegar with milk, pepper, ginger and other spices. When you want to eat it, you take a piece and eat it cold. It is appetising and can be kept for a month, up to 40 days. They have no other ways of preparing fish. Birds of prey are not used for fishing. Turtles can be seen in Balasore in December and January. They are easily caught by approaching them and removing them. The meat is worthless because it is very oily. They are not large. They are also caught in the Ganges. No whales are seen on the coast of Bengal. In the Ganges, porpoises are caught in nets and speared with small spears with a thin line attached. When wounded, they bleed to death in half a day and are pulled ashore with their line. They are also seen in Balasore, but not in large numbers. The flesh is eaten. The fat is used for pain relief. When melted, it becomes like a very foul-smelling oil. No extraordinary sea monsters are seen on the coasts of Bengal. There are no mermen or mermaids. The fishermen of the Ganges say that there is a fish that resembles an elephant with its trunk, but they are very rare. It is called a hanguer. It is depicted with the other fish. There is no ambergris in the Gulf of Bengal because the coasts are made up of land and sand, and ambergris comes from coasts where there are rocks. It is produced as described below.

boat with a cul-de-sac. They catch small fish. They also have a line attached to a cul-de-sac, which is tied by two ropes to an anchor buried in the ground and enclosed in a large bamboo jetty that they throw wherever they want to set their nets. It buries itself in the mud and holds the net with banaste (basket) buoys. When there is little water, they attach two poles to the side of the net, which they push into the mud, spread the mouth of the net to the tide or the judge, and raise it at every tide to remove the fish. There are no other fisheries in Bengal than those mentioned above. The common people value fish because most of the gentiles eat only fish and vegetables and no meat. There are many gentiles who do not eat fish because their caste forbids them to eat anything that is alive. The rich Moors do not value fish. They eat meat every day. Poor Moors value fish because it costs them less than meat. Fish is also prepared by frying it in butter. Once cooked, it is left to cool. When cold, it is placed in vinegar with milk, pepper, ginger and other spices. When you want to eat it, you take a piece and eat it cold. It is appetising and can be kept for a month, up to 40 days. They have no other ways of preparing fish. Birds of prey are not used for fishing. Turtles can be seen in Balasore in December and January. They are easily caught by approaching them and removing them. The meat is worthless because it is very oily. They are not large. They are also caught in the Ganges. No whales are seen on the coast of Bengal. In the Ganges, porpoises are caught in nets and speared with small spears with a thin line attached. When wounded, they bleed to death in half a day and are pulled ashore with their line. They are also seen in Balasore, but not in large numbers. The flesh is eaten. The fat is used for pain relief. When melted, it becomes like a very foul-smelling oil. No extraordinary sea monsters are seen on the coasts of Bengal. There are no mermen or mermaids. The fishermen of the Ganges say that there is a fish that resembles an elephant with its trunk, but they are very rare. It is called a hanguer. It is depicted with the other fish. There is no ambergris in the Gulf of Bengal because the coasts are made up of land and sand, and ambergris comes from coasts where there are rocks. It is produced as described below.

They have only a piece of cloth to cover their nakedness and a palm-leaf cap in which they put their letters when they board ships. The Dutch in Nagapattinam send these catamarans to carry letters to their trading posts in Sadras and Machilipatnam. To make good time in the south winds, they sail day and night, landing whenever they want in the middle of the breakers. All along the Coromandel coast, they have boats called Chelingue for unloading ships. These are boats with flat bottoms and raised ends. All the planks are sewn or tied together with coconut fibre, which is a rope made from coconut bark. These boats have no nails and can withstand the waves, passing through the breakers and running aground without breaking. These chelingues are manned by eight to nine men, depending on the size of their rudder, and have a large oar with a blade wider than normal oars. From Machilipatnam to Madras, catamarans leave the rivers and coasts all year round to go fishing at sea. They fish with nets and lines attached to the catamaran, which they lift from time to time. They catch different kinds of fish such as sea bass, mullet, pampre, bicoude, large and small rays, shrimp, caranguese and many other different fish. The entire Coromandel coast is quite rich in fish all year round. Bengal is not abundant in fish. On fish days, the meat is poor. In Madras, they have small oysters that are good to eat. As there are many ships in the harbour and a lot of cooked rice and tripe are thrown overboard, this attracts fish, which is cheap and a great help to the inhabitants. From Madras to Pondicherry, the same fish are caught all year round. In Pondicherry, they lease the river fishing rights. Only line fishing is allowed there. Those who have leased the rights fish three or four times a year, blocking the river with a wooden and earthen barrier at the top and bottom of the river's width. Then they move the barriers forward little by little, trapping the fish in a place where there is little water, where they can easily catch them and sell them to the locals, who salt them. In Pondicherry, they fish in the sea with a very large net that has a long handle. The catamarans go out to sea, set the net, and gradually bring it closer to shore, pulling it ashore with many different fish, large and small. In Pondicherry, they have small oysters in the river that are good. From Pondicherry to Fort Saint-David, they fish for the same thing. From Fort Saint-David to Portenavela, the same thing. From Portenave to Coleron along the coast, the same thing. In the Coleron River, there are many small oysters that are good to eat. From Coleron, Tranquebar, Naour to Nagappattinam, the same thing. The Dutch in Nagappattinam buy chagrin skins from fishermen for three pagodas per hundred and above.

They have only a piece of cloth to cover their nakedness and a palm-leaf cap in which they put their letters when they board ships. The Dutch in Nagapattinam send these catamarans to carry letters to their trading posts in Sadras and Machilipatnam. To make good time in the south winds, they sail day and night, landing whenever they want in the middle of the breakers. All along the Coromandel coast, they have boats called Chelingue for unloading ships. These are boats with flat bottoms and raised ends. All the planks are sewn or tied together with coconut fibre, which is a rope made from coconut bark. These boats have no nails and can withstand the waves, passing through the breakers and running aground without breaking. These chelingues are manned by eight to nine men, depending on the size of their rudder, and have a large oar with a blade wider than normal oars. From Machilipatnam to Madras, catamarans leave the rivers and coasts all year round to go fishing at sea. They fish with nets and lines attached to the catamaran, which they lift from time to time. They catch different kinds of fish such as sea bass, mullet, pampre, bicoude, large and small rays, shrimp, caranguese and many other different fish. The entire Coromandel coast is quite rich in fish all year round. Bengal is not abundant in fish. On fish days, the meat is poor. In Madras, they have small oysters that are good to eat. As there are many ships in the harbour and a lot of cooked rice and tripe are thrown overboard, this attracts fish, which is cheap and a great help to the inhabitants. From Madras to Pondicherry, the same fish are caught all year round. In Pondicherry, they lease the river fishing rights. Only line fishing is allowed there. Those who have leased the rights fish three or four times a year, blocking the river with a wooden and earthen barrier at the top and bottom of the river's width. Then they move the barriers forward little by little, trapping the fish in a place where there is little water, where they can easily catch them and sell them to the locals, who salt them. In Pondicherry, they fish in the sea with a very large net that has a long handle. The catamarans go out to sea, set the net, and gradually bring it closer to shore, pulling it ashore with many different fish, large and small. In Pondicherry, they have small oysters in the river that are good. From Pondicherry to Fort Saint-David, they fish for the same thing. From Fort Saint-David to Portenavela, the same thing. From Portenave to Coleron along the coast, the same thing. In the Coleron River, there are many small oysters that are good to eat. From Coleron, Tranquebar, Naour to Nagappattinam, the same thing. The Dutch in Nagappattinam buy chagrin skins from fishermen for three pagodas per hundred and above.

rays that are the same as those brought to Japan. The Dutch also import them from Siam. From Nagappattinam to Adirampattinam, which is in Mannardont Bay, Ceylon is on one side and Taniaur and Malavade on the other, forming a bay 15 leagues wide where the sea is very beautiful, sheltered by Ceylon inside the point of Nagappattinam on the side of Taniauret Malava?, half a a mile from the shore, there are many different types of seaweed, which we can see from the judge's position, meaning that there is seaweed all along the coast. In this seaweed, there are many different types of shells that wash ashore and large sponges. It is a pleasure to sail with the fishing boats in this seaweed. Adirampattinam, which is a settlement of Taniaur. Almost all of them are fishermen. Their boats are like galleys and very long, designed to carry four to five barrels, but they are good boats. They have a narrow, very high sail and oars. They often come to Nagappattinam and Tranquebar. They fish for small clams that are found in this bay as far as Toutoucouvin. The clams are large shells, as big as a fist. The large ones are twice as big. These shells are found in three or four fathoms of water. They fish for these shells all year round. The fishermen go out in two boats, with seven or eight men in each boat. The two boats move a little away from each other, drifting with the tide or the current. These fishermen are all naked, with only a piece of cloth to cover their nakedness and a net bag around their waist. Three or four people jump from the two boats and search the bottom for clams, which they put in their nets. When they have been there for a while, they come back up and grab hold of the boat to rest. The others take turns doing the same thing. They spend half a day diving, then go ashore to sell their shellfish. After diving several times, their eyes are red as blood. They go fishing there for several days. These shellfish are sold for three pagodas per thousand in the local market, which is 9 Madras rupees. The first type in proportion. The others are transported to Bengal every year, one hundred to two thousand. They are sold in Bengal for three to four rupees per hundred. The first type. The others in proportion. Throughout this bay, Chanques are fished as far as the Strait of Mannar, which is the tip of Ceylon, and the mainland called Ram Ramesetu, sixty leagues from Adirampattinam. Every two leagues there are villages whose inhabitants are exclusively Chanques and fish fishermen. As the sea is beautiful, they go fishing every day. They have nets of a hundred fathoms which they spread out and attach large buoys to. At night and in the morning, they pull up their nets with lots of fish. During the day, they do the same. In the months of October, November, December, January and February, the north wind pushes the fish into this bay. Each household assembles several boats and joins five or six hundred fathoms, extending them far out to sea and gradually bringing them closer to land, where they bring in a lot of fish and large fish of different kinds, the names of which I do not know, but I have seen this fishing. The livers of these large fish weigh 15 to 20 pounds, which they melt to extract oil for boiling all the fish. They salt it like green cod, which they sell for two to three rupees per fish, and it is very cheap in this bay, along with all kinds of fish, such as sole, mullet, sea bass, ray, eel, shrimp, trevally [?], pampres [?], sea bream, and many others.

On the Maldives islands, cowrie shells are fished along the coast using nets, and divers find them attached to rocks. They still use coconut branches, which they dip into the water and attach to the ground. Every day, they pull up these branches and find cowries attached to them, leave them in the sun or bury them to draw out the poison, and sell the cowries for rice and other necessities. It is estimated that the Maldives have twelve thousand inhabited islands. The inhabitants of each island give the king fifty cowrie shells per year for the right to fish for cowries and fish. Each cowrie shell is worth 9 when each is worth 16 ponis and each ponis is worth 80 cowries. One cowrie shell can be worth four Madras rupees when pulled.The cowries are small and light. Ambergris is also fished. The inhabitants are obliged to give it to the king, as it belongs to him. The inhabitants do not allow it to be sold in secret. It is good ambergris. In the Maldives, they catch large quantities of sea bream, which they cut into pieces as big as large sausages, a palm's length long, and put the fish in the sun without salting it. It becomes like a piece of wood. Then they sell it for 70 lavis per thousand pieces to take to Chin [?], which is 32 rupees. In Chin, they are sold for 10 taels per thousand, which is 70 rupees, sometimes more and sometimes less. Every year, a hundred barrels are extracted, sometimes two hundred. Sea coconuts [?] are also fished, which detach themselves from the rocks that belong to the king. The coconuts are very curious to see. The flesh inside is used for medicine. In the Nicobar Islands, cowries are fished, as in the Maldives, and are very white. In Siam and Manila, cowries are fished. They are marked with black and are cheaper than those from the Maldives.

(Draft letter to Mr Raudot). Memoir for Senegal. In the marshes along the Senegal River, there is a species of bird that the natives call Guyambe, which has the plumage and size of one of our large Indian chickens but is shorter on its feet. Its singularity consists of a horn on the top of its head, which has led curious cabinet collectors to give it the name rhinoceros bird, and in some cases, the head with the horn detaches quite easily from the skull. The Negroes to whom we have spoken about this bird and who are familiar with it assure us that there are two species, one aquatic and the other woodland. The former build their nests among the reeds, while the latter perch and build their nests in trees. There is a picture of such a bird in Mr. de Gennes's account of his voyage. It would be a curiosity worthy of the majesty of the king to have some of these birds brought here alive, where they could easily multiply. The peoples of Africa eat them, and the civilised Negroes among us assure us that the meat is good and very delicious. I have the honour of enclosing, as you requested, the short memorandum on the rhinoceros bird of which I spoke to you. If you give this commission to a man of some intelligence, I am convinced that you will enable us to see alive what is unknown to most naturalists and of which I have only ever seen two heads, one of which I returned to the Capuchins of Rouen and the other which is in the cabinet of the director of the (seized) property of the religious orders of Normandy. The first was crude. The horn on the head had fallen off, but the other was still there. Although we have not been brought any shells from Guinea and Senegal, the rocky coasts provide them, and the sands always have their own. As for what the interior of the country produces, I am sure you are better informed than I, who know only wax, elephant teeth (morfil), gums, dates and other fruits of the country. (additions: or that ten leagues away, the Negroes have gold dust) I humbly beg you, sir, to allow me to offer you my respectful regards. I recall that we have received no response to the memorandum on fishing that we sent to Messrs Saint Ovid and Dumez on ?le Royale, nor to Saint Domingue or Cayenne. I would be infinitely grateful if you would be so kind as to submit these reports again the next time you have any orders to give them. I am always ready to receive here those you wish to send me, etc.

(Draft letter to Mr Raudot). Memoir for Senegal. In the marshes along the Senegal River, there is a species of bird that the natives call Guyambe, which has the plumage and size of one of our large Indian chickens but is shorter on its feet. Its singularity consists of a horn on the top of its head, which has led curious cabinet collectors to give it the name rhinoceros bird, and in some cases, the head with the horn detaches quite easily from the skull. The Negroes to whom we have spoken about this bird and who are familiar with it assure us that there are two species, one aquatic and the other woodland. The former build their nests among the reeds, while the latter perch and build their nests in trees. There is a picture of such a bird in Mr. de Gennes's account of his voyage. It would be a curiosity worthy of the majesty of the king to have some of these birds brought here alive, where they could easily multiply. The peoples of Africa eat them, and the civilised Negroes among us assure us that the meat is good and very delicious. I have the honour of enclosing, as you requested, the short memorandum on the rhinoceros bird of which I spoke to you. If you give this commission to a man of some intelligence, I am convinced that you will enable us to see alive what is unknown to most naturalists and of which I have only ever seen two heads, one of which I returned to the Capuchins of Rouen and the other which is in the cabinet of the director of the (seized) property of the religious orders of Normandy. The first was crude. The horn on the head had fallen off, but the other was still there. Although we have not been brought any shells from Guinea and Senegal, the rocky coasts provide them, and the sands always have their own. As for what the interior of the country produces, I am sure you are better informed than I, who know only wax, elephant teeth (morfil), gums, dates and other fruits of the country. (additions: or that ten leagues away, the Negroes have gold dust) I humbly beg you, sir, to allow me to offer you my respectful regards. I recall that we have received no response to the memorandum on fishing that we sent to Messrs Saint Ovid and Dumez on ?le Royale, nor to Saint Domingue or Cayenne. I would be infinitely grateful if you would be so kind as to submit these reports again the next time you have any orders to give them. I am always ready to receive here those you wish to send me, etc.

a fishing net and a senne (net). There are some that weigh 700 pounds.This fish salts like cod but much better.The croupia is a very good fish which can weigh fifty pounds, round face and swims sideways. It is one of the best in Cayenne. Common, it is fished with an arrow and with a senne.The loubine is of two species. One is very good like the best pike whose face it has.The other tastes like a muse, can be fished as below, common. The mulet, like the abundant European one, is fished by arrow and senne. A few years ago, he had a catch of this pleasant fish, several small canoes with small nets on their canoes swam by force and head on. The mulet, to protect itself, jumped and fell in their nets. They took a lot of them in this manner. Parassir is what we call meuille in La Rochelle. It is very abundant and very good in their best season just as in France. It should be noted that all these fish are caught around a small forest that the Indians maintain. They block a creek with screens (boards). They pile the planks in the canoes and wall the creek up. They take a large quantity of fish of all species. Akoupa has flesh almost like that of whiting, with the shape of a pike. Some can be four feet long like loubines. The Apalika, much like the shad. The Moonfish, a very good passing fish, is fished with arrow and senne.The Big eyes stay on the shores of the sea. The Frog eyes. It is good, it can be fished with a torch, with a senne and the arrow. Very common. The karande looks like salmon, rare.There is a fish whose name I could not find out which is the best you can eat. It is flat and reddish with a round face, rare.The resi is of three species. One like that of France. One called a devil who has very long horns very dangerous when caught on the line. If the one whoever takes it doesn't take their line right away, it takes the canoe so fast that it is hard to get away with it. There were Negroes who were drowned by this fish. I saw some who could weigh up to seven hundred pounds. They are fished with folle net. Mr. Barrere drew it as well as lots of all these fish. The other species taken in fresh water is best, fished like I said. The sardine is like that of France but bad. The machoran is of two species, one yellow and the other white. The yellow one is very big, a big fish that can be caught with the arrow, on a line. Scaleless, both species are very abundant.The grunt (grondeux) is aptly named and is caught with aline. It?s a godsend resource for Cayenne. Pasanis, almost like machoran, better.

a fishing net and a senne (net). There are some that weigh 700 pounds.This fish salts like cod but much better.The croupia is a very good fish which can weigh fifty pounds, round face and swims sideways. It is one of the best in Cayenne. Common, it is fished with an arrow and with a senne.The loubine is of two species. One is very good like the best pike whose face it has.The other tastes like a muse, can be fished as below, common. The mulet, like the abundant European one, is fished by arrow and senne. A few years ago, he had a catch of this pleasant fish, several small canoes with small nets on their canoes swam by force and head on. The mulet, to protect itself, jumped and fell in their nets. They took a lot of them in this manner. Parassir is what we call meuille in La Rochelle. It is very abundant and very good in their best season just as in France. It should be noted that all these fish are caught around a small forest that the Indians maintain. They block a creek with screens (boards). They pile the planks in the canoes and wall the creek up. They take a large quantity of fish of all species. Akoupa has flesh almost like that of whiting, with the shape of a pike. Some can be four feet long like loubines. The Apalika, much like the shad. The Moonfish, a very good passing fish, is fished with arrow and senne.The Big eyes stay on the shores of the sea. The Frog eyes. It is good, it can be fished with a torch, with a senne and the arrow. Very common. The karande looks like salmon, rare.There is a fish whose name I could not find out which is the best you can eat. It is flat and reddish with a round face, rare.The resi is of three species. One like that of France. One called a devil who has very long horns very dangerous when caught on the line. If the one whoever takes it doesn't take their line right away, it takes the canoe so fast that it is hard to get away with it. There were Negroes who were drowned by this fish. I saw some who could weigh up to seven hundred pounds. They are fished with folle net. Mr. Barrere drew it as well as lots of all these fish. The other species taken in fresh water is best, fished like I said. The sardine is like that of France but bad. The machoran is of two species, one yellow and the other white. The yellow one is very big, a big fish that can be caught with the arrow, on a line. Scaleless, both species are very abundant.The grunt (grondeux) is aptly named and is caught with aline. It?s a godsend resource for Cayenne. Pasanis, almost like machoran, better.

Makouma is pretty much like pasani. Common, it is fished by arrow, line and senne. The swordfish is a very large, curious fish. It's caught with a folle net to make oil. It is common.The demoiselle is is caught with aline. It's a big fish like the machauran which weighs up to two hundred pounds.The pig is a very curious fish. Mr. Barraire drew some as a part of all others which are above. The lizard is very good and very common. The crayfish is larger than in France and less delicate. They are taken in the rivers. The toad is very good. It gets caught in the rocks in the sea. Shrimp is like in Europe. The crab is excellent. In January, February and March there are plenty of them.There is a sea pig called cabiaye (Capybara), quite common in some rivers. It is amphibious. It is claimed that Maipourri (tapir) is also amphibious. It is rare in Cayenne and very common inland. It has the horse's hair, his feet of pig. It's a very good meal. The sole is like plaice.There is a very bad kind of aurans. Lapas, a small fish, is caught at low tide in the mud. It is good. The pacou, a good fish, is caught in rivers.The commaron is red, very good. Aymara, good. The pike. Patayal is caught in holes. Coubani is pretty much like monkfish.The jayre is a small fish, not much. The eel is of two species. One trembling. It is to remark about this one that when it is caught on a line, the one who catches it becomes like lost. Usually when you catch them, you first need to take the mouth of the water. The negroes kill them right away either with a billhook or something else. The billhook jumps from his hands as he hits the eel. When it is dead, it has no longer any effect. We handle them or we skin them without anything happening. They say they are good and very big. Parsisy, a river fish, very large, very good, they are bearded. Coconut is caught by line, very common and good. The cachini is very large. It resembles salmon. It has a tongue half a foot long. The Indians use it as a file. This fish is preserved like the Lamentin. The eaglefish is very good. The pailla is a very good red fish. The sioure is a very good species of sea bass. The rock barbe is a very good fish, without scales, much better than tench and guimbarde. Father Charbonnier, a Jesuit who arrived from Camopy, told me that there was a sea tiger in this river. The front part is like a tiger with fur. It has tusks like a boar and half of its body is like a fish with scales. This sea monster is dangerous. It has caused the Indians to abandon the place where it live. I saw a small sea horse. It has the head and neck of a horse. Sieur Barraire drew it. Sieur Macaye, the counsellor, told me he saw one at the beginning of this year, 1723, and that its rump could be ten feet wide, as it sometimes appears. The Negroes claim that when these sea horses appear, it is a bad omen. There are still a few other fish that I am not familiar with. There are also more than thirty different species of snakes. Done at Cayenne on 29 September 1723.

Makouma is pretty much like pasani. Common, it is fished by arrow, line and senne. The swordfish is a very large, curious fish. It's caught with a folle net to make oil. It is common.The demoiselle is is caught with aline. It's a big fish like the machauran which weighs up to two hundred pounds.The pig is a very curious fish. Mr. Barraire drew some as a part of all others which are above. The lizard is very good and very common. The crayfish is larger than in France and less delicate. They are taken in the rivers. The toad is very good. It gets caught in the rocks in the sea. Shrimp is like in Europe. The crab is excellent. In January, February and March there are plenty of them.There is a sea pig called cabiaye (Capybara), quite common in some rivers. It is amphibious. It is claimed that Maipourri (tapir) is also amphibious. It is rare in Cayenne and very common inland. It has the horse's hair, his feet of pig. It's a very good meal. The sole is like plaice.There is a very bad kind of aurans. Lapas, a small fish, is caught at low tide in the mud. It is good. The pacou, a good fish, is caught in rivers.The commaron is red, very good. Aymara, good. The pike. Patayal is caught in holes. Coubani is pretty much like monkfish.The jayre is a small fish, not much. The eel is of two species. One trembling. It is to remark about this one that when it is caught on a line, the one who catches it becomes like lost. Usually when you catch them, you first need to take the mouth of the water. The negroes kill them right away either with a billhook or something else. The billhook jumps from his hands as he hits the eel. When it is dead, it has no longer any effect. We handle them or we skin them without anything happening. They say they are good and very big. Parsisy, a river fish, very large, very good, they are bearded. Coconut is caught by line, very common and good. The cachini is very large. It resembles salmon. It has a tongue half a foot long. The Indians use it as a file. This fish is preserved like the Lamentin. The eaglefish is very good. The pailla is a very good red fish. The sioure is a very good species of sea bass. The rock barbe is a very good fish, without scales, much better than tench and guimbarde. Father Charbonnier, a Jesuit who arrived from Camopy, told me that there was a sea tiger in this river. The front part is like a tiger with fur. It has tusks like a boar and half of its body is like a fish with scales. This sea monster is dangerous. It has caused the Indians to abandon the place where it live. I saw a small sea horse. It has the head and neck of a horse. Sieur Barraire drew it. Sieur Macaye, the counsellor, told me he saw one at the beginning of this year, 1723, and that its rump could be ten feet wide, as it sometimes appears. The Negroes claim that when these sea horses appear, it is a bad omen. There are still a few other fish that I am not familiar with. There are also more than thirty different species of snakes. Done at Cayenne on 29 September 1723.

Makouma is pretty much like pasani. Common, it is fished by arrow, line and senne. The swordfish is a very large, curious fish. It's caught with a folle net to make oil. It is common.The demoiselle is is caught with aline. It's a big fish like the machauran which weighs up to two hundred pounds.The pig is a very curious fish. Mr. Barraire drew some as a part of all others which are above. The lizard is very good and very common. The crayfish is larger than in France and less delicate. They are taken in the rivers. The toad is very good. It gets caught in the rocks in the sea. Shrimp is like in Europe. The crab is excellent. In January, February and March there are plenty of them.There is a sea pig called cabiaye (Capybara), quite common in some rivers. It is amphibious. It is claimed that Maipourri (tapir) is also amphibious. It is rare in Cayenne and very common inland. It has the horse's hair, his feet of pig. It's a very good meal. The sole is like plaice.There is a very bad kind of aurans. Lapas, a small fish, is caught at low tide in the mud. It is good. The pacou, a good fish, is caught in rivers.The commaron is red, very good. Aymara, good. The pike. Patayal is caught in holes. Coubani is pretty much like monkfish.The jayre is a small fish, not much. The eel is of two species. One trembling. It is to remark about this one that when it is caught on a line, the one who catches it becomes like lost. Usually when you catch them, you first need to take the mouth of the water. The negroes kill them right away either with a billhook or something else. The billhook jumps from his hands as he hits the eel. When it is dead, it has no longer any effect. We handle them or we skin them without anything happening. They say they are good and very big. Parsisy, a river fish, very large, very good, they are bearded. Coconut is caught by line, very common and good. The cachini is very large. It resembles salmon. It has a tongue half a foot long. The Indians use it as a file. This fish is preserved like the Lamentin. The eaglefish is very good. The pailla is a very good red fish. The sioure is a very good species of sea bass. The rock barbe is a very good fish, without scales, much better than tench and guimbarde. Father Charbonnier, a Jesuit who arrived from Camopy, told me that there was a sea tiger in this river. The front part is like a tiger with fur. It has tusks like a boar and half of its body is like a fish with scales. This sea monster is dangerous. It has caused the Indians to abandon the place where it live. I saw a small sea horse. It has the head and neck of a horse. Sieur Barraire drew it. Sieur Macaye, the counsellor, told me he saw one at the beginning of this year, 1723, and that its rump could be ten feet wide, as it sometimes appears. The Negroes claim that when these sea horses appear, it is a bad omen. There are still a few other fish that I am not familiar with. There are also more than thirty different species of snakes. Done at Cayenne on 29 September 1723.

Makouma is pretty much like pasani. Common, it is fished by arrow, line and senne. The swordfish is a very large, curious fish. It's caught with a folle net to make oil. It is common.The demoiselle is is caught with aline. It's a big fish like the machauran which weighs up to two hundred pounds.The pig is a very curious fish. Mr. Barraire drew some as a part of all others which are above. The lizard is very good and very common. The crayfish is larger than in France and less delicate. They are taken in the rivers. The toad is very good. It gets caught in the rocks in the sea. Shrimp is like in Europe. The crab is excellent. In January, February and March there are plenty of them.There is a sea pig called cabiaye (Capybara), quite common in some rivers. It is amphibious. It is claimed that Maipourri (tapir) is also amphibious. It is rare in Cayenne and very common inland. It has the horse's hair, his feet of pig. It's a very good meal. The sole is like plaice.There is a very bad kind of aurans. Lapas, a small fish, is caught at low tide in the mud. It is good. The pacou, a good fish, is caught in rivers.The commaron is red, very good. Aymara, good. The pike. Patayal is caught in holes. Coubani is pretty much like monkfish.The jayre is a small fish, not much. The eel is of two species. One trembling. It is to remark about this one that when it is caught on a line, the one who catches it becomes like lost. Usually when you catch them, you first need to take the mouth of the water. The negroes kill them right away either with a billhook or something else. The billhook jumps from his hands as he hits the eel. When it is dead, it has no longer any effect. We handle them or we skin them without anything happening. They say they are good and very big. Parsisy, a river fish, very large, very good, they are bearded. Coconut is caught by line, very common and good. The cachini is very large. It resembles salmon. It has a tongue half a foot long. The Indians use it as a file. This fish is preserved like the Lamentin. The eaglefish is very good. The pailla is a very good red fish. The sioure is a very good species of sea bass. The rock barbe is a very good fish, without scales, much better than tench and guimbarde. Father Charbonnier, a Jesuit who arrived from Camopy, told me that there was a sea tiger in this river. The front part is like a tiger with fur. It has tusks like a boar and half of its body is like a fish with scales. This sea monster is dangerous. It has caused the Indians to abandon the place where it live. I saw a small sea horse. It has the head and neck of a horse. Sieur Barraire drew it. Sieur Macaye, the counsellor, told me he saw one at the beginning of this year, 1723, and that its rump could be ten feet wide, as it sometimes appears. The Negroes claim that when these sea horses appear, it is a bad omen. There are still a few other fish that I am not familiar with. There are also more than thirty different species of snakes. Done at Cayenne on 29 September 1723.

Several Portuguese are enough to load their salt with the utmost diligence to go fishing near St Vincent, the only place that provides turtles, which are salted in the same way as cod in Newfoundland. This fishing takes place during the months of June, July and August around the islands, sometimes even until mid-October. There are two kinds of turtles, the loggerhead and the Cahuane. The loggerhead turtle is the best, its flesh is very delicate and tender, as are its scales, which cannot be used for this purpose. Oil and fat are extracted from it, which are melted like whale oil and are as delicate as olive oil. When this catch was abundant, only loggerhead turtles were taken, and when it was not abundant enough, Cahuane or Carette turtles were taken for their scales and fat, from which oil was extracted for burning. The flesh of these latter turtles is very tough and is rarely taken on board because the food is indigestible and bad for the Negroes who eat it. This turtle meat is sold in Martinique and other islands, but none is taken to St. Domingue and the neighbouring islands, which have too much livestock. This trade, which is inexpensive and the most lucrative of all the trades that can be done in America, often meant that ships carried twice as much meat as sugar in their cargoes, which they left in storage for their short journey. This trade has fallen due to the tolerance of the island governors in accepting the salted meat that the English bring them in smuggling directly from Ireland and which can be traded freely in defiance of His Majesty's regulations. When the French natives bring it there by boat only after the authorities directly from France, they encounter competitive issues. This trade could be revived by removing this obstacle, which could not be committed so easily today due to the scarcity of livestock currently in Ireland and the Netherlands. It should be facilitated for the few people it costs and the considerable profit it yields.

If there are also mussels and oysters of what species and if there are mother-of-pearls? (Answer in the margins) Same as in Guadeloupe. There are land turtles and what if they are very big? (Answer in the margins). It is already mentioned above. If there are a lot of land crabs and soldiers and, in what season of the year do they come to lay their eggs on the coast and when do they change their shells?(Answer in the margins) Very large quantity of crabs. It's a boon for the country. There are many soldiers in Saint Lucia where they make oil, just like in Guadeloupe for changing shells.A state of the most ordinary seabirds around the island? (Answer in the margins) Same as in Guadeloupe so as not to make unnecessary answers.Finally provide as much detail as possible of everything that can pertain to this matter either for the product or the way of fishing with vaire, nets, fire, brazin and stagnant bait? The people who will be responsible for responding to this memorandum are asked to fill in what might have been omitted in the questions and requests that have just been made on this matter, to do so as accurately as possible. With knowledge, it will be possible for them. And if they know some interesting particularities about fisheries and its trade, they will ask the public to share with them as well as their knowledge on this subject, using only certain, reliable, and proven facts in a general history of fisheries on which we have been working for several years. (Answer in the margins) Responded to Fort Royal by us intendant of the Windward Islands on October 8, 1722. Signed Benard.

We could fish for turtles all year round but most of this fishing, which is now very little, is done from March to September inclusive. We do this fishing in three ways, namely with a folle, a net shaped like a seine, the meshes are square and about a foot and a half large. There is lead on one of the ribs of the folle and light wood on the other to hold it taut. Both ends are stopped with rocks attached by ropes. The turtle while coming and going gets trappedin this net which sometimes stays in the sea for weeks. The fishermen visit them every day to find out if the fishing has been successful. There are also sharks, devils (diables) or slippers (pantoufles) made for the body like the two pieces, but the beast is different in that it has at the end a piece of cartilage a foot long and sometimes more depending on the size of this fish. These three species of fish are worthless to eat. Their liver is only good for making combustible oil and their skin is like a big hide

If there is an annual turtle fishery in St. Christopher. When and where does this fishery take place, in what season and with what instruments. What are the different species of turtles that can be found there and which are the most abundant. Whether the inhabitants go beyond their coasts to engage in this fishery. Do the English carry it out in the Cayman Islands and do they have a significant presence there? Do others besides the English also carry out the same fishing as on other occasions? Is salted turtle meat brought to St. Kitts and where does it come from and who are the people involved in this trade? If manatee is brought there, where is it fished and who are the people who prepare it? If manatee is sometimes fished around the island and if it is caught regularly and often. What kind of small fishing is done in St. Christopher during the year and how do the fishermen who work there do it, whether with nets, Varre, Brasin, fire or dormant bait. A list of the names of common fish and those that are sometimes caught as Bonites, Sea bream, sardines, trevally & [...]