Chap. XVI.
Of their Fishings.
Of their Fishings.
Of their Fishings.
Of their fishing, in this trade they be very expert, being experienced in the knowledge of all baites, fitting sundry baites for severall fishes, and diverse seasons; being not ignorant likewise of the removall of fishes, knowing when to fish in rivers, and when at rockes, when in Baies, and when at Seas: since theEnglishcame they be furnished withEnglishhookes and lines, before they made them of their owne hempe more curiously wrought, of stronger materials than ours, hooked with bone hookes: but lazinesse drives them to buy more than profit or commendations winnes them to make of their owne; they make likewise very strong Sturgeon nets with which they catch Sturgeons of 12. 14. and 16. some 18. foote long in the day time, in thenight time they betake them to their BurtchenCannows, in which they carry a forty fathome line, with a sharpe bearded dart, fastned at the end thereof; then lightning a blazing torch made of Burtchen rindes, they weave it too and againe by theirCannowside, which the Sturgeon much delighted with, comes to them tumbling and playing, turning up his white belly, into which they thrust their launce, his backe being impenetrable; which done they haile to the shore their strugling prize. They have often recourse unto the rockes whereupon the sea beates, in warme weather to looke out for sleepie Seales, whose oyle they much esteeme, using it for divers things. In summer they seldome fish any where but in salt, in winter in the fresh water and ponds; in frostie weather they cut round holes in the yce, about which they wil sit like so many apes, on their naked breeches upon the congealed yce, catching of Pikes, Pearches, Breames, and other sorts of fresh water fish.