Smelts.
Of Smelts there is such abundance that the Salvages doe take them up in the rivers with baskets, like sives.
Shadds or Allizes taken to dunge ground.
There is a Fish, (by some called shadds, by some allizes,)[415] that at the spring of the yeare passe up the rivers to spaune in the ponds; and are taken in such multitudes in every river, that hath a pond at the end, that the Inhabitants doung their ground with them. You may see in one towneship a hundred acres together set with these Fish, every acre taking 1000. of them: and an acre thus dressed will produce and yeald so much corne as 3. acres without fish: and, least any Virginea man would inferre hereupon that the ground of New England is barren, because they use no fish in setting their corne, I desire them to be remembred the cause is plaine, in Virginea they have it not to sett. But this practise is onely for the Indian Maize, (which must be set by hands,) not for English graine: and this is therefore a commodity there.
Turbut or Hallibut.
There is a large sized fish called Hallibut, or Turbut:[416] some are taken so bigg that two men have much a doe to hale them into the boate; but there is [{90}] such plenty, that the fisher men onely eate the heads and finnes, and throw away the bodies: such in Paris would yeeld 5. or 6. crownes a peece: and this is no discommodity.
Plaice.
There are excellent Plaice,[417] and easily taken. They, (at flowing water,) do almost come ashore, so that one may stepp but halfe a foote deepe and prick them up on the sands and this may passe with some allowance.
Hake.