following Fable ows its origin to the unparallel'd beauty of this little creature. They say that all other Night-flies fall in love with it, and that to get rid of their importunities it maliciously bids them (for a trial of their constancy) to go and to fetch fire. The blind lovers scruple not to obey commands, and flying to the next fire or candle, they never fail to burn themselves to death. The female is not near so beautiful as the male, but grey, or ash-colour'd and spotted.

Chap. XI.

Of Fish and Shells.

1690.

He Sea, and its Productions, contribute full Productions of as much towards the sustenance of the the Sea. Natives, as the growth of the Country, Rice only excepted. The Sea all about Japan is plentifully stor'd with all sorts of Sub-marine Plants, Fish, Crabs and Shells, of all which there are very few, but what were eat by their indigent Ancestors, and are so to this day. There are even many which in these wealthy and refin'd Ages appear upon the sumptuous tables of People of the highest quality. Both Fish, Crabs and Shells, are comprehended under one general Name Kiokai, or Iwokai. In this present chapter, which may be look'd upon as an Introduction to one of the following, wherein I intend to treat of their tables and kitchin, I will set down as many of them as came to my knowledge, along with their true Japanese Names, though it must be observ'd in general, that several of them are found likewise in our European and other Seas.

Of all the animal productions of the Japanese Seas, I know none of so extensive an use, for rich and poor, as the Kudsuri or Whale. It is caught frequently about Whales. Japan, but particularly in the Sea Khumano, which washes the Southern Coasts of the great Island Nipon, as also about the Islands Tsussima and Goto, and upon the Coasts

1690. How caught.

Different sorts of Whales. Sebio.

Awo Sangi.

of Omura and Nomo. The common way of catching them is with darts, or harping-irons, as they do in the Groenland-fishery, but the Japanese Boats seem to be fitter for this purpose than ours, being small, narrow, tapering into a sharp point at one end, with five oars, or ten Men each, who row them with incredible swiftness. About 1680, a rich Fisherman in the province Omura, whose name was Gitaijo, found out a new way of catching Whales with Nets made of strong ropes about two Inches thick. This method was afterwards follow'd with good success by a Countryman in the Islands of Gotho, whose name was Iwonomo. They say, that as soon as the Whale finds his head entangled in a net, he cannot without great difficulty swim further, and may be very easily kill'd with Harpoon-irons after the common manner. The reason why this new Method, which seem'd to bid very fair for success, hath not been universally receiv'd is, because it requires a greater, and much more expensive set of proper Tackle, than common Fishermen can afford. For whereas the expence of Whale-fishing, after the common manner, seldom exceeds 20 Chests of Silver, this cannot be so much as attempted with a less Sum.

There are several sorts of Whales, which differ in their names, shape, and bigness. 1. Sebio is the chief, and indeed the largest Fish of the Whale-kind. It affords most Train-oyl, and its flesh is very good, and wholesom, so far that Fisher-men and the common People attribute their good state of health amidst all the injuries of cold and weather, which they are continually expos'd to, chiefly to their eating this flesh. 2. Awo Sangi, commonly Kokadsura, that is a small Whale, is grey or ash-colour'd, smaller than the Sebio, from which it also differs something in shape. 3. Nagass, is commonly 20 to 30 fathom long, and hath this particular, that he can stay under water for two or three hours, during which time he can travel a vast way, whereas other Whales must continually come up to the surface of the water for fresh supplies of Sotookadsura. air. 4. Sotookadsura, that is, the Whale of blind People,

Nagass.

1690.

so call'd from the figure of a Bijwu, or a sort of a Lute, which blind people in this Country use to play upon, which is said to be naturally represented on its back. It is not a very large sort, and seldom exceeds ten fathom in length. It is caught frequently about Japan, but the flesh is reckon'd unwholsome food, being, as they say, too hot, and occasioning coughs, fevers, eruptions on the skin, and sometimes the Small-pox. It is brought to market with other fish, and sold for the flesh of the Sebio, but those who know it will never buy it. 5. Mako never Mako. exceeds three or four fathom in length. This same name is given to the young ones of the other kinds. That, which I hear speak of, is caught frequently upon the Eastern Coasts of Japan, as also upon the Coasts of Kijnokuni and Satzuma. Ambergreese is found in the intestins of this Whale. The head yields a small quantity of Train-oyl. 6. Iwasikura, that is, Sardin's-Eater, hath Iwasikura. a tail and fins like common Fish. We saw this sort, when we went up to Court, between Caminoseki, and Simonoseki, and I took it to be that Fish which the Dutch call Noord Caper. Of all these several kinds of Whales nothing is thrown away as useless, excepting only the large Shoulder-bone. The skin which is black in most kinds, the Flesh which is red and looks like Beef, the intestins, which from their remarkable length are call'd Fiaksiro, that is, an hundred fathoms long, and all the inward parts are eat, pickel'd, boil'd, roasted, or fry'd. The fat or blubber is boil'd into Train-oyl, and even the sediments of the second boiling are eat. The bones, such as are of a cartilaginous substance, are boil'd when fresh, and eat, or scrap'd, clean'd and dried for the use of the kitchin. Out of the nervous and tendious parts, both white and yellow, they make cords and ropes, chiefly for their Cotton-manufactures, as also for their Musical Instruments. Not even the garbage is thrown away, but kept for some use in the Kitchin. Several little things are made of the jaw-bones, fins and other bones, which are of a more solid substance; particularly their fine

1690.

Satsifoko.

stilyards for weighing Gold and Silver are made of them, and have borrow'd their name from thence.

Satsifoko is a Fish two, three, and sometimes five to six fathoms long, with two long teeth or tusks, standing

I richu

FIG. 39. Iruku, a known fish.

out of the mouth upwards, which are sometimes, by way of ornament, put at the top of castles, temples, and publick buildings. I was inform'd by Fishermen, that this Fish is a cunning and mortal enemy of Whales, and