The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-07-26
Chinese Fishing Devices

Among. these are dip-nets, large
squares of netting extended on a frame
work of bamboo, which is weighted and
suspended from pole that has to be
alternately raised and lowered either
froma bank or boat, and brings up each
time all the fish that may have been
passing over it. The casting net is very
familiar, but Chinais its peculiar home,
and is there used in varying sizes by
men and children of all ages. A more
original method of capturing fish is that
pursued by what are known ut Swatow
as ''slipper-boats. These crafts are
generally twenty-five feet long and
eighteen inches wide, and they fish in
couples, moored side by side, on bright
moonlight nights, their only implement
of capture being white board fastened
along the outer side of each. This
board catches the bright rays of the
be of a contiding disposition in this
portion of the Empire, are said to mis-
take it for water, and to leap from their
native element into the slipper-boats in
large numbers. Innumerable devices
of this character peculiar to the country
are here on show in the Chinese annex.
This would seem to be branch of the
industry naturally commenting itself to
the minds OF people who have been
universally credited with more than
ordinary amount of cunning. Their
fish-traps are, moreover, manifold and
varied, ando the highest workmanship
and utility. In the British Isles this is
a means of taking fish practically un-
known and unpractised, with the ex-
ception of our stereotyped eel and lob
ster pots; but the Chinese devote them
selves largely to these strategic methods
of fishing, and with an unvarying sue
cess that nothing but the boundless fer
tility of their rivers and seas could ex-
plain or withstand The day will per-
haps come when Western ideas will
penetrate sufficiently there to insure
tho suppression of wholesale fish poison
ing, and such like fatal poaching ar
rangements for the capture of small fry
as are rather too candidly exhibited
here; but at present we can only ad-
mire, perhaps with tinge of detection,
the hundred and one devices employed
IN a land where, though every form
of unsportsmanlike destruction is ram
pant, the fish supply seems to remain
as abundant and accessible as ever.
Cormorants are smother means en-
ployed by the Chinese on lakes and the
shallower sheets of water for taking
fish. This aquatic species of hawking
is of very old date, and was known and
practiced in England, whittier it doubt
less was imported from the East two
centuries ago. But it is followed with
success only by the painstaking Celes-
fia1o Tho I,i,,dC which haua 70
go regular training, are taken out in
a boat, and before the work commences
Il strap or ring is placed round each
cormorant's throat sufficiently tight to
prevent its swallowing any fish it may
catch in its strongly-hooked beak, but
not so tight as to prevent respiration.
The dark-winged fishermen then 60 off
and cater for their master with success
and regularity, being rewarded with an
occasional fish, which they are permit
ted to swallow when the strap has been
removed. Above all things the Chinese
are frugal nation, making use of SUBJ
stances that would meet with culinary
contempt in any other country. The
discarded shark represents to them a
valuable supply of food. The fins go
to form the well-known soup, or are
used IN the preparation OF gelatine;
while the skin, after being cleaned and
prepared, serves for covering sword
handles and for various other orna-
mental purposes. Even the cuttle-fsh,
acreature repulsive to fishermen of most
other nations, is the object of careful
pursuit with nets and lines by the China
man ats time when other work is slack;
and, carefully dried and packed in
bales, commands aready sale all through
the Flowery Land. The oyster also,
and its pearl-bearing kindred, the
Chinese mussel, are not merely looked
upon as dainties. Though cultivated
with skill and science as such in the
first place, their refuse shells are burnt
for lime.