The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-04-20
QUEER WAYS TO CATCH FISH.
INGENIOUS AND PRIMITIVE METHODS
OF THE JdpANESA

The little stands whereat oysters and
CLANS arc retailed for cent each arc conspicu-
Gus features OF South street. These stands re
usually upright boxes. rooted In. and all en-
closed except tho upper half OF the front. Hero
10 the narrow shelf or bar. behind which. and
within the box. tho salesman stands Beside
him Ia n basket OF ANAL oysters and before him
On upright spike set in block OF wood. Plates
trays Of pepper. salt. and OF pepper and salt
mixed. bottles Of vinegar. pepper sauce and
tomato sauce. forks in a glass Of water. and
crackers In q dish. mako up each vendors
stock In trade.
Tho dealers are themselves interesting.
Many Of them have spent much time ct sea.
But one among the dozen II better worth Q visit
than oil the rest He 10 philosopher - well
- an old traveller and an acute observer. He
always wears stand.up collar and Q necktie.
and his clothing. through threadbare. looks 40
II II had boon carefully brushed. Some days
thia stand Ia not occupied. and whom after such
. time tho proprietor comes back his eyes are
rcd 40 we'll a watery. When . young man
stopped before his stand the other day and laid
down piece OF silver the old man was brush.
ing his hair at q little glass hung ut one end Of
the box. He turned quickly whom the customer
came. and. picking up On oyster In his left
hand. laid the edge OF tho shell over the UP
right spike and broke It of with smart blow
hnnd. Then he split on ons-haf Of the shell
and lsid tho lower half. containing the oyster.
|Thsss oysters are not tho, best the market
q the. price. But thew are, fresh and good:
cat the oysters found there and then come
SSp ao ss these l. dsiisiSs: !ns is good or
Havo you ever lived in Japan p" said the
young man. pouring two drops Of vinegar on
"Oh.. yea. Ihavs been there good deal. both
- y sailor and us q traveller for pleasure. The
oysters arc deficient. tho fish o. japanese wa:
tss more sks smed I dale iss
ass!sIs 81 food Of the s. inhsSi,snss.
and the exports to China run up into the mill
How many people are In the tsheriesl"
.%2s that sss but psop Gsn snd 52Ses
ssski 10 one q the moet interesting q the free
liar methods OF Japanese fishermen can be
seen to the best advantage. 1t 10 on the island
e Mu sss 'ss tn, %o sn Thys .a se sa
with It. bris,iss up ri toward tho east and its
the animals fore feet you will find the city OF
Nseasaki. tits at the head Of = narrow bay.
tninous. on a, rocky island near the mouth Of
this bay Is y lighthouse that throws flashes
h tSin S nm be seen miles away
covered with growing crops or green trees the
year around. In the open waters between
boats can bs seen in numbers. Of which you can IAN
Judge blythe Consul's estimate.
sns . ,p g
twenty feet long and Ave feet broad. Where the
rowlocks are placed, in ordinary boats. there
compartment several square feet in size. open.
ing into the water beneath. but net acress tho
a. ,bIora Sers for The
Ssy are 1sss to the pins
stsndin Ing with one foot on the rail and sse o. her
while La so s sds n nsnas
WORK. and d0 sca Hs the over Thy
time for hshipg g ., stu night AZ me night
IN crows nest at the end Of craning irons in
sha
and falling on the long rollers. with the half
naked fishermen swaying to and fro, or stand
Of the mounssins that line tho shore. is one not
The customer paused. with his third oyster
and .sid TSs. i tSs ,rss time f' sSer heard
Very likely. but the jams catch great m any
fsh the. way They arc rem I.HIsy EXPERT
from four to six feet long. is generally captur-
cd by the hook and line. Tho bonita. which
weighs from rom ten TO- tweHn n, pounds Is both
fishing they use larger boats. carrying thirty
70 forty men. and propelled by seuls and bam-
Have lave the Japanese any knowledge Of civil
led net tishing'" said the customer over his
They have nets. Their seines are not ex-
ceeded In size unless 1t be In tho shoals along
tho North Carolina coast, whore horses and
places whore tbs beach allows It seines hun.
dreds Of feet long and forty feet deep are
drawn. At the mouth Of one river in the north
:? s Hd hsss Sssa a TEA
nsfs !0 ths the my.er, o, the
no. but they have q substitute that Is but
set where the water is a few fathoms. deep with
msshss from tho. csntre toward the apex are
tine but near the base and along tho sides they
surface u The w%srby Sundss q shert bs b.
sticks. The centre Says down to the bottom
mrshss. bait thrown into the water attracts
them: Morning and evening the fishermen
a. m one 81 nss
bottom Of the boat. drive the fish over the fine
meshes ut tho apex. so many arc enclosed Ia
this way that the water Seems to boil with
them. The hOats are often loaded at ono haul
although many Of the fish escape BY leaping
over the edge Of the net They are taken out
"Wha. kind OF lsh do they get In these nets?"
HerrinRs are the most numerous. Many
young sharks are caught. and they are great
sssz ssss
are also found. The tremendous schools OF
sardines are wonders in themselves. Tho Japs
catch these with q sort Of kill net. This they
drag through the water between two boats I'M
der gail, and bring 1t up with a FISH. to every
mesh. They cure the fish by drying"
They haven't got tho canning idea. then ?"
No. The delights Of ccttonseed oil have
not YET been intFoduced, Il would DOUBTLESS
delicaces to them Is whale meat. A palate
that frncies whale meat would like cottonseed
oil or kerosene"
How do they catch the whala7"
Like no other people In the world, Whales
frequent the (iHto group. Of islands at the
l.ookouts are kept on the highands. and when
they cry, Thar she blows and thar she
breaches a score Of boats OF all sizes put out ct
rying big nets.. When they roach the whale the
nets are spread In his path. so that he becomes
enveoped In them. He is confused. and falls