they come to
the land or climb up on pieces of wood or trees lying in the water.
When one travels in a ship their heads can be seen everywhere
coming out of the water. The abundance of oysters is incredible.
There are whole banks of them so that the ships must avoid them. A
sloop, which was to land us at Kingscreek, struck an oyster bed,
where we had to wait about two hours for the tide. They surpass
those in England by far in size, indeed, they are four times as
large. I often cut them in two, before I could put them into my
mouth. The inhabitants usually catch them on Saturday. It is not
troublesome. A pair of wooden tongs is needed. Below they are wide,
tipped with iron. At the time of the ebb they row to the beds and
with the long tongs they reach down to the bottom. They pinch them
together tightly and then pull or tear up that which has been
seized. They usually pull from six to ten times. In summer they are
not very good, but unhealthy and can cause fever.

The most comprehensive list of fish thus far given by the early
historians was offered by Robert Beverley in 1705. Again as with John
Smith, there are names that do not fit in today. But these are very
few: "greenfish," "maid," "wife," and "frogfish" perhaps, all of which,
however, are well-known in England. The recurring mention of carp in
the early authorities quoted is interesting, since it has long been
believed that carp were introduced into the Chesapeake region in 1877
by the U.S. Fish Commission. No doubt that was carp of another
species. The esteemed sheepshead is today very rare:

As for fish, both of fresh and salt water, of shellfish, and
others, no country can boast of more variety, greater plenty, or of
better in their several kinds.

In the spring of the year, herrings come up in such abundance into
their brooks and fords to spawn that it is almost impossible to
ride through without treading on them. Thus do those poor creatures
expose their own lives to some hazard out of their care to find a
more convenient reception for their young, which are not yet alive.
Thence it is that at this time of the year, the freshes of the
rivers, like that of the Broadruck, stink of fish.

Besides these herrings, there come up likewise into the freshes
from the sea multitudes of shad, rock, sturgeon, and some few
lampreys, which fasten themselves t