they had “shot” during the night. The crew seemed to be of all nations, but the European types were predominant. I recognised, if I was not much mistaken, Irish, French, Sclaves, a Greek, a Candian. They were chary of speech, and only conversed in that strange idiom, the origin of which I could not determine; so I gave up my idea of questioning them.
The nets were hauled on board, and appeared to be like those in use on the Normandy coast; vast pockets, kept open by a large piece of wood and a chain fixed in the lower meshes. These nets, dragged upon iron fittings, swept the bottom of the ocean, and picked up everything in their way. Upon that occasion they brought to light many curious specimens of fish; lophies, whose comical movements reminded one of actors; black commersons, balistæ, tetrodons, some lampreys, trichures, whose electric power is equal to that of the electric eel or torpedo, many varieties of gobies, and some extremely large fish; a cavanx, with its very prominent head, about a yard long, some beautiful scombres, laced with blue and silver, and three splendid tunny-fish, whose rapid swimming could not save them from the net.
I estimated the take at about 1,000 lbs. of fish, which was a good but not a surprising quantity. These nets might be kept at the bottom of the sea for many hours, and would then enclose specimens of the whole marine world. It was evident there would be no stint of excellent food, and the rapidity of the Nautilus, and the attraction of its electric light, could always insure us a new supply at any time.
The various productions were immediately sent down
