Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-20
QUEER FIsHrNo IN Asr.
Curious Oriental Wsys ef Casehs,~ -
Tortur~s Ahead for Fisherwc..

csrsous Oriental wsys es Casehs,r ~
| Torturcs Ahead for Fish.r~c..
ssTHE CHINESE HAVE MANY VERY I'M
Il rious ways Of catching ssh - IA . -
cicultural sharp 10 o writer for tn. A.,
'1n winter they dive Tor them. A osr,.,,
species demanded IN the market seshs shsl,--
during the cold season under rocks a = con-
siderable depth. They cannot be got with hooh
and line. and so the fishermen 80 down ip,o
the water after them, plunging from . boat
Three dives are made each hour. and . FIRE n
kept mp on board the boat for the purpose Of
warming those at work between whites. Noe
infrequently they come up bleeding from the
lungs, and rheumatism and skin diseases rsndss
them disabled by the time they are forty yesrs
old
at was the Chinese who invented the we'll
known plan OF capturing ducks and other
water fowl by wading toward them with .
basket over the head and dragging them under
water before they knew what had caught them
by the legs Theirs is the idea OF employing
eormorants 20 aid them IN fishing. You have
heard. doubtless, how the birds used for shis
purpose have collars around their necks -
prevent them from swallowing the game they
capture At q signal given by their ownes
they plunge into the water after the prey.
they are rewarded for every success with . b1t
OF fish small enough for them 10 eat They
are forced TO work very hard all day long. but
great care is taken Of them and they are nurse1
most attentiyely when they are sick. bird 10
usually good for service until il IL ten years
old. The cormorant fishermen are oreanize1
into societies, the birds belonging 70 each asse-
citation having peculiar mark.
In India also the natives employ many
methods Of fishing which seem odd 20 us.
There is in the district of Dude a species Of -
called walking fish with snake-like heads,
which are often seen floating the water -
II asleep. The people shoot them with oreo
ooMs. Usually they sink when they are killed,
50 that uey have to be dived for sfterward In
the Indus the Ganges and other streams are
numerous hsh-eating crocodiles which attain .
iehgth OF more than twenty feet. Except vhs0
near Their nests aud anxious TO defend their
egss they run away from human beings q
nsh they catch an enormous number, and 10
mas peen thought very strange that the fisher
men should not destroy such rivals in their
own business But they regard the mere sug-
gesuon OF such an idea with horror. saying
that the crocodiles are brothers in trade.
lhe man-eating crocodiles OF those rivOFU
are regarded as sacred aud are never harmed
OF late years they have DESTROYED more hvss
than formerly, owing to the prohibition by lag
OF the ancient practice of consigning corpsss -
me streams. 10 was the good old way 20 al
the mouth OF tie defunct respectfully with mud
and leave the cadayer TO be swept away by the
current Upon such supplies Of food the great
sauri depended largely. and. being deprived
OF them, they lie an wait to snap up living peo-
pie and cattle. Five persons have been known
70 De carried OF IN one year at q single pool.
however. the country Is over-populated, but
one would not think II agreeable death 70
die.
The Buddhists in India have Q horror Of
eaunS Tie hesh OF animals, believing them TO
be lncarnatlons of human beings souls; bus
they permit themselves the luxury Of fsh,
usually getting around the difficulty by saying
that the fishermen take away the fishes lives
ana are responsible. On the walls Of their
temples are numerous frescoes vividly de-
plctlng the terrible fortunes which fshermen
VIII have TO endure in a future state In these
paintings hres are represented stirred BY
devils, who are dragging the fishermen into
the hames IN nets, hauling them by hooks and
lines and prodding them from behind with
fish spears.
There is a story Of a Buddhist priest vhe
lodged Tor some time at the house OF Q fisher
man. The latter had recently reformed and
was pursuing another occupation After TIVE
days the guest asked why no fish we're served
upon the table, and, being informed that his
most was withheld by conscientious scruplss
rom catching them. he expressed his approval
In high terms At the end of q week, however,
he felt craving for fish strong upon him md
how Tar the fisherman's net strstchsd
across The nelghboring stream. He Vas told
that II extended one-third OF the way scroeu.
" III that Is the case,' said the priest The Al
have their choice as to whether they viii BE-
caught or not. So, If they choose 20 be taksa
nobody else If responsible. Therefore, you WI
do right TO try ana catch some.
Accordingly the priest was served there
aiter with hsh, of which delicacy he would hsss
been deprived had il not been for the visdom
which sacred books had taught him"