Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-31
THE CANOES.
REGARDING rIsHrxsIH THAT HISTORIC
STREAM.
Envying the Natives Certain f0rm VI
Fishing-Boatmen aud
Their Yells

Elnh1nC-6oatMon ee~
Their YeilL
IL would be difficult 10 describe the
melancholy and monotonous appearance
of Lower Bengal during the annual IN
undations, when almost the wnoie conn
try goes under water for several weeks.
som etimes when the river Thames IL In
very high food the fiat country between
staines and Chertsey and Shepperton
presents a faint resemblance OF it, but
only on a very tiny scale. The annual
rise of the Nile, sending its fortilizing
streams over the low-lying lands OF
Foypt. is similar IN its csuses and ef-
fects to the floods OF the Gauges
and the other large rivers which
overflow the Bengal delta. But few
people visit Egypt during the time OF
HIGH Nile. and the Nile floods are as
nothing in comparison with the Gangetic
inundatiens Many years ago, when the
Eastern Bengal railway only reached the
Ganges ut Kooshtea, it was my fate to
have to Journey eastward to Dscca in a
small native boat with six oars. We
went swiftly down the main stream of
the great river by daylight, but when it
began to grow dark and we wanted to
stop for the night we had to row for a
long distance inland till we reached the
site of a village, where large tree en-
abled us to secure the boat safely for the
night.
In such a world OF waters it is only
natural that the fish have fine time Of
it. And on the other hand the inhabi-
tants of the country have fine time of it
with the fish. The people are nearly all
ichthyophagists, and many OF them take
great delight in catching fish. There
are certain castles or families who are
fishermen by birth and inheritance.
These persons make their living solely
by catching and selling fish. But there
are times when the whole village COM
munity, rich and poor, old and
young, and more especially the
Young, turn out en- nlasse TO
catch the fish which have been left
in some accessible pool or hollow as the
food waters retire and there ensues a
scene OF mud-lsrking and wild enjoy
ment which almost battles description.
When the water has been gradually but
rapidly drained off so as to leave the fish
Topping about on a muddy surface, the
excitement becomes tremendous. All
sense OF caste distinction and rank, and
even of propriety and decency, sesms to
be forgotten, whilst the tumultuous
group of semi-nakcd men and women
precipitate themselves on their spoil,
plunging recklessly in the mud to cap
ture as mang of the slippery fishes as
they can manage 10 seize in the nc{ee.
When the swollen rivers have retired
within their proper banks, aud the main
body OF the fish have retreated with
them, there is no cessation of the sport
to those anglers who live in the villages
situated near the rivers. Day after day
the sides OF the river are dotted with pa
tent individuals armed with rod and
line, or more frequently with only line,
who hope sooner or later to catch
a fish. It is form OF sport
which suits the people, as it
requires very little exertion. The
would-be Sybarite can shelter himself
under his umbrella from the rays OF the
sun. He can from time to time refresh
himself with smoke from his hubble
bubble. He can, if he pleases, discuss
village politics with his neighbors, or
they may entertain one another with
tales Of their previous good or bad luck
in fishing. Ii any sportsman gets bite
the news gives n thrill of expectation to
all his competitors. If he succeeds in
landing fish, however small, his friends
quickly crowd round him to envy or ad-
mire his success.
At the country houses OF well-to-do
people there are usually one or more
ponds or tanks in the gardens or grounds
which ore regularly stocked with fish,
chiefly OF the carp tribe, from year to
year. Some of these fishes grow to a
very large size. q carp of ten to twenty
pounds being not uncommon. There Is,
however. a difficulty In preserving them
to maturity. In the height OF the in
undation the floods sometimes oyertop
the banks of these fish-ponds, and then
the big fish take advantage of their lib
erty and set off on voyage from which
they seldom return to the home which
they deserted. Some OF them may es-
cape into the large rivers, and may begin
an entirely new life. But most of them
make very poor any fatal use OF their
liberty. They get into some ditch or
cul-dc-Sdc of shallow water, where they
very soon attract attention and invite
CAPTURE. In former days, When the Cal
cutta madam WAS very ill-drained, it
happened that after days heavy rain
large carp might be seen that had escaped
out OF the tank opposite the Bengal Club,
in Chowringhee, only to be ignominious-
" captured in the open drains and
bitches which ran along the sides of the
adjacent streets. One day one of my
own domestics armed himself with a
common tin foot-tub. and used it as a
landing-net to secure a carp that was
more than ten pounds in weight.
/ had the pleasure OF knowing some
native gentlemen who owned very large
tank, 100 yards square. which was fully
stocked with fish. The water was kept
perfectly clear from weeds, and only the
members of the family performed their
daily ablutiops and devotions at the
flights Of marble steps which led down to
the water on each side of the square. 1t
was very great favor to be allowed to
fish in the tank and sometimes, when
friends VINO were fond of fishing came
to stay with me, used to ask for leave
to take them to it, A days notice had
to be given, so that particular spots
might be well baited to attract the fish.
Independently of theground bait thrown
in, some long, thin bamboos were
prepared, to be fixed upright in the
water, aud at about a foot from the bot
tom a bag or bundle of worms in moss
was fastened to the bamboo so as TO
attract the fish and make them try to
knock the worms out of the bag.
When we went forth with our rods the
line was already plumbed and the floats
adjusted, so that the hook with the bait
on it would hang at the same depth as
the bag of worms attached to thebam boo.
We could see the top of thebamboo above
the water violently shaken as big fish
worked his nose AGAINST the bag