The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-01-07
CORMORANT FISHING
How the japanese Fish at Night
With Birds.
A Peculiar Scene in q Mountain
Stream Of Japan.

At the nth annual congress Of the
American Ornithologists' Union in Bos-
ton, ono Of the papers resd was psrticu-
larly interesting. Il was BY Pierre
Louis Juoy, whs went to japan on .
govern ent scientific mission for the
National Museum, and who related -
follows his story of . nights fishing with
. cormorsnt:
I'm the clear mountain streams Of
central Japan there Il found . peculiar
dsh of the family Salmonide. This fish,
the al Of tho japanese, is something
between smelt and trout in appear
ance, grows to . length of twelve to
fourteen inches, and i bright silvery in
color, with golden spot on each should
er. 1t l. very delicate in favor, and il
much priced for the table. In . coun-
Try celebrated for the variety and ex-
cellence of Its fish, this species holds the
highest place and commands the best
price in tho market. Many ingenious
methods are employed for its capture,
among the most interesting Of which is
the use Of cormorsnts. We are oil
familiar with the stories Of cormorant
fishing in China, where tho fisherman
has his birds trained to obey csll-note
or whistle, and where they sit around
the edge of the boat and 60 and return
to and from the water like a we'll
trained spaniel, but IGNORANT fishing in
q rapid mountain stream is quite a diff
ferent thing from fishing in sluggish,
muddy river in China, and believe
that the japanese methods are quite I'M
known, being carried on at night and in
remote and out of-th-way places.
Il made journey of about twenty
five miles from Toxic to q small river,
the Ban lgawa, on purpose to witness
this interesting and, to me, novel sight.
1t was bright moonlight night, said to
be bad night for fishing, a cloudy or
dull evening being preferred, as the fish
are then not so active. The river con-
sisted of two branches running very
swiftly, and each from twenty to fifty
yards wide, but in flood time it ex-
tended over a space of 200 yards or
more, running between high bluffs.
1.-THE man with his bird was waiting
for us on the stoney bed of the river
with his torch of pine fat burning
brightly. The bird was very tame and
sat perched on a rock close by. A cord
was tied pretty and tightly around the
lower part of the throat and between the
shoulders, from which was attached a
piece of bamboo (having a swivel at each
end) long enough to extend beyond the
birds wings and prevent fouling of the
cord while the bird was in the water.
The man carried q basket at his side to
put the fish in, and sort Of apron In
front to hold pine chips for the light.
The lantern was wire cage or basket
placed on the end of long bamboo pole.
This with the cord attached to the bird,
which gives him a range of about twenty
feet, is held in the left hand, the right
being employed in guiding the bird, re-
plenishing the fire, and taking the fish.
Everything being ready, the fisher.
man takes the torch in his left hand and,
clasping the cord to which the bird il
attached, wadcs out into the stream, the
bird following him, and after performs
ing hasty toilet, dipping his head and
neck in the water, and preening himself
begins the business of the night. The
fisherman holds the fire directly in from
and above the birds head, so that it car
see the fish in the clear water. The bird
seems to be perfectly fearless, and, a.
he comes up, sparks of fire are constantly
falling on his head and back. The fish,
ing is done upstream, the man finding
it all he can do to keep pace with thu
bird as the water surges up nearly to his
waist. In fact, it was hard work for u:
on shore to scramble along among thu
rocks in the uncertain light and watcl
the bird at the same time.
''The bird dives, swims under waite
for eight or ten yards, comes up and i
down again, working very rapidly ant
constantly taking fish. When the tishe:
are small, the bird is allowed to retain
two or three in his throat at time, bu
J - fo;- G.l, =, ;,,,,,oJ;otolr faEo,