A Voyage to JAMAICA
of one quarter of a Mile further to Seaward 'tis Fifty more. In deep Water the colour of it is Blue, and in shallow Green. It seems to me that the difference of the Colour of Sea-water (without troubling ourselves with many Opinions about it) comes either from the depth of it, which when very deep and diaphanous is of a deep Blue as the Sky when clear, or if shallow it takes its Colour from the Colour of what lies at the bottom. And that it is so appears by Purchas, p. 1131. where 'tis taken notice that Water appears Red, Green, or Dark in the Sea, according to the bottom, and that the Red-Sea is called so from Red Coral, or Coral-Stone lying at bottom, making the Water, which is to be seen into Twenty Fathoms, look Red, or White if White Sand is at bottom; or Green, if Green Oozy, Id, p. 1147.
The Sea hereabout is very well provided with Albacores, or Thynni whose Description follows.
This Fish was Five Foot long from the end of the Chaps to that of the Tail, the Body was of the make and shape of a Mackarel, being roundish or torose, covered all over with small Scales, White in some places, and Darker colour'd in others, there was a Line run along each side. The coverings of the Gills of each side were made of two large and broad Bones covered Albacores described with a shining Skin, the Jaws were about Six Inches long, having a single having a row of short strong sharp Teeth in them, and were pointed. The Eyes were large, and the Gills very numerous, behind which were a small pair of Fins. Post anum was a Foot long Fin, about Three Inches broad at bottom, and Tapering to the end. It had another on its Back answering that on the Belly, and from these were small Pinnulae every Two Inches distance to the forked Tail, which was like a New Moon falcated, before which on the Line of the two sides was a membranous thick horny Substance, made uo of the Fishes Skin, stood out about three quarters of an Inch where it was highest, something like a Fin, It was about Three Foot Circumference a little beyond the Head, where it was thickeft. The Eye was about an Inch and a half Diameter. The Figure of this Fish is here added. Tab 1. Fig. 1. taken from a dried Fish, where every thing was perfect save the first Fin on the Back, which I suppose was accidentally rub'd off.
It is frequently taken by with Fisgigs or White Cloath, made like Flying-Fish, and put to a Hook and Line for a Bait; The Flesh is coloured, and Tasts as the Tunny of the Mediterranean, from whence I am apt to believe it the same Fish. It is to be found not only about Spain, and in the way to the West-Indies; but in the South-Seas about Guayaquil, and between Japan and New Spain every where.
This is called Tunny e 5 of Oviedo fnw.p.xJ^. Albicorcs of Terry, p. o, Alhocores of Mandeljlo, p. 196. Dolphin or Tunin of Marten, Orcynus ti'ondelet Thnnus Gefner. 11^2. Aldrovand p. 307. Muf, fmmmerd. Rati. Hi 49. ft Thynni Species ejufd. app. p. 5-. />. 176. Tak M. 1. Corett. x^, Tak 9. Mo. i. where the Figure (eem snot good. Thynnus Bellon.p.ioS. Sahian.p.ixA, An palamite of Oviedo Sum, p. xii ? Guarapucu Brafdienfihus, an,Cavala Lujitanis Kofiratihus Coninghvifck Marcgr. p,iy2 ? Pif, Ed. 1658. />. 59.^ vel an Curvata pinima ejujd. p. lso> Ed. 16^0. p. $1 ? Tons of E/carbot Npva Franci 5". ^« Raveneau de Lujfan />. An 1« Alhacoretta Pif. Ed. iC^Z.p.yi 7 1 3 di Fernan Colon vita di Chriftof. An Ox-Eye 19. of Anonymus Portugal. ^ f. Purchas, p. 1313.* vel Toninas Ejufd. ih. />. 1 3 4 Tunnies of Francis Gualfe 1 Purchas, 806. Alhacoras Ejufd. p. 446. Hakl. of Smith t^ew-England, p. 217 of Galvanos Purchas, in 4x°. North Lat.South-Seas, p. Ton ou tafard dt i(>8f. Cauche, ^ 1 3 8 An tonim Ejufd p. 141? Ulaffo a Tuny Fifti of Duddeley, p.^ye. Albacore of Ligon.p.6. Abbeville.f.io. An^Spanifh Macquerel of Ligonf Sailers
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AlbachoresPyrard.de Laval. p.C.i^y. }
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