America: Being the Latest, and Most Accurate Description of the Nevv VVorld / Containing the Original of the Inhabitants, and the Remarkable Voyages Thither. The Conquest of the Vast Empires of Mexico and Peru, and Other Large Provinces and Territories, with the Several European Plantations in Those Parts. Also Their Cities, Fortresses, Towns, Temples, Mountains, and Rivers. Their Habits, Customs, Manners, and Religions. Their Plants, Beasts, Birds, and Serpents. With an Appendix, Containing, Besides Several Other Considerable Additions, a Brief Survey of What Hath Been Discover'd of the Unknown South-land and the Arctick Region.

by John Ogilby

To speak of the most unusual of these sorts of Fish; First the Seal, which is call’d the Sea-Calf, his Skin is good for divers uses, his Body being between Flesh and Fish, it is not very delectable to the Palate, or congruent with the Stomack; his Oil is very good to burn in Lamps, of which he affords a great deal.

The Shark.

The Shark is a kind of Fish as big as a Man, some as big as a Horse, with three rows of Teeth within his Mouth, with which he snaps asunder the Fishermans Lines, if he be not very circumspect: This Fish will leap at a Mans hand if it be over board, and with his Teeth snap off a Mans Leg or Hand if he be Swimming; these are often taken, being good for nothing but Manuring of Land.

The Hollibut.

The Hollibut is not much unlike a Pleace or Turbut, some being two yards long, and one wide, a Foot thick; the plenty of better Fish makes these of little esteem, except the Head and Finns, which Stew’d or Bak’d is very good; these Hollibuts be little set by while Basse is in season.

The Basse.

The Basse is one of the best Fishes in the Countrey, and though Men are soon weary’d with other Fish, yet are they never with Basse; it is a delicate, fine, fat, fast Fish, having a Bone in his Head which contains a Sawcerful of Marrow, sweet and good, pleasant to the Palate, and wholsom to the Stomack: When there be great store of them, we only eat the Heads, and Salt up the Bodies for Winter, which exceeds Ling or Haberdine: Of these Fishes some are three, and some four Foot long, some bigger, some lesser; at some Tides a Man may catch a dozen or twenty of these in three hours; the way to catch them is with Hook and Line: The Fisherman taking a great Cod-line, to which he fasteneth a piece of Lobster, throws it into the Sea, the Fish biting at it, he pulls her to him, and knocks her on the head with a Stick.

Alewives.

Alewives are a kind of Fish which is much like a Herring, which in the later end of April come up to the fresh Rivers to Spawn, in such multitudes as is almost incredible, pressing up in such shallow Waters as will scarce permit them to Swim, having likewise such longing desire after the fresh Water Ponds, that no beatings with Poles, or forcive agitations by other devices, will cause them to return to the Sea, till they have cast their Spawn.

Clamms or Clamps.