The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-04
WEST INDIA FISHERMEN.
Wonderful Skill Shown By the Ma
tives in Their Dug Out Boats.

| Wonderful Skill Shown By the Ma
| tives in Their Dug Out Boats.
| FROM the NetC York Times.
One of the few interesting exhibitions OF
skill that one sees in knocking about among
the West India islands is the catching Of
fish by the natives.
| The Caribs are the personif1cation Of idle
ness when seen ashore about their huts and
In the streets of the towns. They never
seem to have anything at all to do and al
ways appear to be perfectly contented TO
snooze about in the shade in utter disregard
| OF what the morrow may bring forth. Put
| them, however. in one ot their little dug
out canoes, with paddle in their hands,
and they are all movement and grace as
| they send their frail craft spinning along
| over the beautiful blue waves or guide them
with surprising agility in through the
foaming, white-crested breakers that to
| the unlnitiated look as though they were
| savage enough to swallow up the cookie
| she'll boats and their too venturesome occu-
pants.
How many of them fail to return there
| are no means of ascertainipg, but it is quite
safe to say that an occasional accident must
happen where so many and such great risks
are run. There is usually but one occupant
to canoe, but in spite OF this fact and in
defiance Of the burning rays of the tropical
sun, he frequently manages to cover miles
and miles before the work is over and a
proper mess has been captured.
Where the fish run close to the surface a
spear supplements the hook and line, but as
general thing the tackle is the sole reliance
Small fish caught close in shore or the soft
part of shellfish form the bait. The hook is
baited and allowed 60 trail considerably
astern, the end Of the line being secured to
pin on the gunwale or TO the spare seat,
and then round turn Is taken over one of
the big toes Of the fisherman.
The paddle is handled to perfection and Is
dipped into the water so quietly that not
splash is seen nor sound heard. while the
boat is sent ahead at q moderate speed, with
only minimum disturbance to the water.
The slightest nibble and down goes the
paddle into the boat. and with both hands
the line is hauled IN. All of these move-
ments are so perfectly made that the 2-foot
wide craft remains without a semblance of
rocking, and, indeed, when the fish is close
alongside it is hard to see that any adj
dttional motion is given the boat.
This Is all the more remarkable when
one considers that the Spanish mackerel
barracuda, or whatever the fish may be
are often very large. Some of the latter
are over seven feet and weigh about thirty
pounds. These are exceptions, TO be sure,
but one frequently sees fish hauled In as
large as our good-sized blue fish and quite
as active, and this, too, with the utmost
ease and entire freedom from excitement.
The flesh Of this fish is firm and sweet, and
when cooked within an hour or two of the
time they ara caught compare very favor
ably with the best found in our own waters.
P7 In the places where flying fish are plenti-
ful a larger craft is taken one that Is capa-
bic of holding several people and can carry
a mast and sail. These boats are taken at
night time to spots which are noted as favor
lite feeding or breeding places and there
anchored. The sail is kept set, as it,is very
prominent feature of the undertaking. The
generally calm nights of the tropics admit
Of this being done without running any risk
of oapsizing the boat.
A fire is built in the middle of the boat so
that the glare will strike directly against
she white sail, which can be seen at con-
siderable distance. After everything has
quieted down, little splash is heard in the
water, followed almost Immediately by a
sound of something striking against the sail
cloths and thud as something falls into the
bottom of the boat
All this is occasioned by a flying fish
which, attracted by the light and the white
sail and impelled by curiosity and his mo-
tive power, has sprung from the water only
TO find himself a prisoner and one of a large
number who follow in quick succession to
contribute their share toward decorating
the fshmongers' stand in the morning.
One would naturally think that, having
such long pectoral fins, or wings, as they
are generally termed, in addition to the
large number of bones allowed the ordinary
fish, It would be pretty hard to find place
to put much meat. But such is by no means
the case, as they are very nice "sating,"
and are as nice pan fish as one would care to
have for breakfast.