or on releasing another spring a
similar contrivance introduces us to another monk of the same convent,
who is reading a huge tome on the lives of the saints: resenting the
interruption, he raises his head, and fixes his eyes on the intruder, at
the same time beckoning to him with his hand, and intimating that if he
will do him the favour to come a little nearer, he will knock him down
with the folio, as Johnson did Osborn the bookseller.

Another surprise is--but really these are surprising enough--and we came
here to see vegetable rarities, and not the tricks of an overgrown
toyshop.

THE THUNNY FISHERY.

[Greek: Tan baitan apodys eis chymaia taena haleymai,
Hopeth tos Oynnos schopiazeiai 'Olpis o' gripeys.]--THEOC.

The thunny fishery, if not as exciting as that of the whale, is far from
uninteresting to the uninitiated. We were rowing about in want of an
object, when our boatmen proposed to take us to see this animating
species of labour; and off we went to a spot about two miles from shore,
where we came upon a little flotilla of boats, all occupied in the
common pursuit. A large quantity of floating cork announced our arrival
on the fishing ground; then came long lines of buoys, to which the
drop-nets were attached, and at last we drew alongside a small boat,
hailing which, we learn that the net is already half-drawn, and that _la
pipa_ (the sword-fish) is _in_ it. Now, we had long wanted to see a live
sword-fish, but there was no need to stimulate our rowers, who appeared
equally eager that we should assist at the fun, and made great exertions
to reach the spot in time. "_Questa_," says our guide, showing the
boundary of the space circumscribed by walls of net; "_questa e la
camera della morte_, (this is the chamber of death,) _piano, piano_, (or
we shall shoot ahead.") The space thus designated lay between two long
barges, one of which was fixed by anchor, and had few people on board,
while the other was crowded with naked limbs, and fine heads in Phrygian
bonnets, academy figures every man of them. What symmetry of form! what
jet black beard and mustache! what dark flashing eyes! what noses
without reproach! All were in the various combinations of action which
their position demanded, hauling away at what seemed to our impatience
an endless net; by the shortening of which, however, as their boat
received it, layer upon layer, fold upon fold, coil upon coil, they were
slowly bringing up the reticul