The lobsters, crabs, muscles, and every sort of fish which abounded on the coast, plentifully supplied our table.

One morning, we were struck with an extraordinary spectacle: a large portion of the sea appeared in a state of ebullition, and immense flocks of marine birds were hovering over it, uttering piercing cries, and plunging into the waves.

From time to time the surface, on which the rising sun now shone, seemed covered with little flames, which rapidly appeared and vanished.
Suddenly, this extraordinary mass advanced to the bay; and we ran down, fall of curiosity.

We found, on our arrival, that this strange phenomenon was caused by a shoal of herrings.

These shoals are so dense, that they are often taken for sand-banks, are many leagues in extent, and several feet in depth: they spread themselves over the seas, carrying to barren shores the resources that nature has denied them.
These brilliant, scaly creatures had now entered the bay, and my wife and children were lost in admiration of the wonderful sight; but I reminded them, that when Providence sends plenty, we ought to put forth our hands to take it.