But, as it is an American fish, the Indians doubtless had a name for it, and aloof is correct, the word ‘alewife’ being the nearest in the language of the settlers to the Indian name aloof, and one with which they were more familiar, came to be used as the name of this fish.
Grandpa Keeler says in ‘Cape Cod Folks,’
They're very good, teacher, ale-whops are—very good—though they're bony as the—,they're 'tarnal bony, teacher. They're what we call herrin's in the winter.
Bachelder Lot, here, was aa asking Captain Sartell what kind oa fish them was that it's recorded in the Scripters to aa fed the multitude, and then took up so many baskets full oa leavin's; and the Captain told him that as to exactly what manner of fish them was he hadn't sufficient acquaintance with the book of Jonah to say, but, as near as he could calk'late, he reckoned they was ale-whops. . . for it stood to reason that there w'an't no other fish but an alewhop that they could feed five thousand folks out of seven little ones and then take up twelve bushel baskets full of bones.
