The Indians are abundantly supplied with fish of all kinds. The whale, which they call _Cadelàna_, that is the sea elephant, is not uncommon in these seas. It may be frequently seen at Cape Comari, and on the neighbouring coast. Some years ago a whale was driven by the tide into the river at Cochin; and as it remained there till the ebb tide, it was not able to return. It, therefore, proceeded up the stream; but it soon got into shallow water, and was killed by the Indians. The _Souffleur_, a large fish of the like kind, is called in the Malabar language _Turàva_. It received this name because it always spouts up water through its nostrils, so that it rises as if from two springs. It is said to be a great enemy of the whale. For farther particulars respecting it I shall refer the reader to a work of the celebrated Professor Schneider, published at Leipsic in the year 1795, under the title of _Collections towards a Natural History of the different kinds of Whales_. The author describes there all the species of this fish, together with their distinguishing characters and properties[148]. The _Wallrus_, the isinglass-fish, and the sturgeon, are not found in the Indian Seas. The _Cadapami_, or sea-swine, is called so with great propriety, as it has really a snout like that of a swine. Its flesh is tough, oily, and difficult of digestion; and for that reason is not much used by the natives of Malabar. The sea-horse, called in the Malabar language _Cadelcudira_, the hippopotamus of the ancients, is also seen sometimes in the Indian Seas. The _Tirada_, is the well-known salmon, a delicate fish, which frequents the sea, as well as the streams and rivers. It is caught in such abundance in Malabar, that I have often purchased from four to six pound of it for two Cochinese _Panam_, which are equal in value to about four Roman _Bajocchi_. At this rate three men for a _Paolo_ may procure a day’s maintenance, even including rice. Pilchards are caught in such immense quantities on the coast of Malabar, that the Indians often do not know how to employ them. They feed their ducks, dogs, and swine with them; and even mix them among the dung used as manure for their coconut trees. Were not the Indians too lazy to salt these fish, they might carry on a very considerable trade with them[149]. _Muri_, or oysters, are exceedingly plenty in the rivers near Cochin and Collam. I have often purchased 300 of them for a _Panam_ (about six-pence sterling). They are fished up in the same manner as the pearl muscles. The fishermen repair to a place where the sea is not too deep, and make fast their canoes to two posts. One of them then ties a rope round his body, and dives under the water with a basket. When he has filled his basket with oysters, he makes a signal to his companion, who remained in the canoe, to draw him up; and while he is doing so, the one who is bringing up the oysters assists him by clambering up one of the posts.