Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1883-09-05
Chinese Fishing Deyicea

Aucng these are dip-nets. large
tquaPes Of netting extended on . France
NeS1Af bamboo, which Is weighted and
suspended from q pole that has to be
alternately raised and lowered either
frouh 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 - there used in varying sizes by
menhnd children Of all ages. A more
cri9Aal method Of capturing fish is that
pnrsled BY what are known at Swallow
- s3lipper-boats." These crafts are
Gsn& ally twenty-five feet long and
6igh4Oen inches wide. and they Dish in
o0OFlns. moored side by side, on bright
nf00biight nights, their only implement
1T Oxpture beinga white board fastened
alon6e The outer side of each. This
boola catches the bright rays Of the
$1,000, Ansl the fish. who would seem to
~ eOnfiiing disposition in this
lxsst e. VI the Empire. are said to mis-
take II tor water, and to leap from their
natfEe element into the slipper-boats In
large numbers. Innumarable devices
It 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 q people who have been
universally credited with more than
ordinary amount of cunning. Their
fish-traps are. moreover, manifold and
varied. andof the highest workmanship
and utility. In the British Isles this Is
q means Of taking fish practically un.
known and unpractised, with the ex-
ccption 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
the suppression Of wholesale fish poison
ing. and such like fatal poachiny ar
ranrements for tine capture of small FRY
as are rather too candidly exhibited
here; but at present we can only all
mirc, perhaps with tinge Of detection.
the hundred and one devices employed
In . land where, though every form
Of uusportsmanlike destruction is ram
pant, the fish supply seems to remain
a. abundant and accessible rs ever.
Cormorants are another means en-
ploved 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 H1st two
centuries ago. But it is followed with
success only by the painstaking Celes-
tials. The birds, which have to under
60 regular training, are taken out in
boat, and before the work commences
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 bcak, but
not SO tight as To prsvent respiration.
The dark-wingcds fishermen then go off
and cater for their master with success
and regularity, being rewarded with an
occasional tisn, which they are permit
ted to swallow when the strap has been
removed. Above all things the Chinese
are a frugal nation, making use of sub
stances that would meet with culinary
contempt in any other country. The
discarded shark represents to them .
valuable supply Of food. The fins go
70 form the well-known soup, or are
used in the preparation of gelatinc;
while the skin, after being cleaned and
prepared. serves for covering sword
handles and for various otter orna-
mental purposes. Even the cattle-fsh,
acreature repulsive to fishermen of most
other nations. is the object of careful
pursuit with nets and lines by the China
man ut time when other work is slack;
and. carefully dried and packed in
bales. commands ready sale all through
the Flowery Land. The oyster also,
and its paarl-bcaring kindred, the
Chinese mussel. are not merely looked
upon as dainties. Though cultivated
with skill and science as such in tho
first place. their refuse shells are burnt
for lime.