The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-07-20
JAPANESE FISHERS.
Description Of Their Tackle, Boats
and Costumes.

Iney DO N0b manure Ihelf oars Up 20 4af5
s.Form"-Long Days of Work With but
Small Return-Pictures Scenes About
the Shore In the Evening.
The waters on the coast of Japan are
bountifully supplied with fish, and ac-
cordingly a large number of people
along the coast are engaged in fishing.
From village like Isozaki the boats got
out for the day, and in many aspects an
account of their work will illustrate fish
ing along the entire coast. All through
the day the village is exceedingly quiet,
except for the scores of quite naked
children, who at all times are diving,
swimming and playing in thewater near
the shore, only coming out of the water
occasionally to sit upon the hot rocks to
warm themselves. It is no exaggeration
to say that the greater part of their time
is spent In the water. They are Of
course brown as Indians, but as much
at home In the sea as fish.
At about A o'clock in the afternoon the
excitement of the day begins. A few
men are seen gathering on the tops Of
hills and high points along the shore, and
soon upon the horizon we see She white
square sails Of the fishing BOATS Usually
the boat is fitted with two square sails,
which are SO managed as to hold a good
deal of wind and to carry the boat for
ward with good speed. AS they approach
the shore the mainsai1 which is held by
cross spar at the top Of slight mast 10
or IS feet high, is furled and the mast
taken in; then in a few moments the
foresail, which is rugged in the same way
and is about third smaller, is taken in
also; then are run out those peculiar
Japanese oars, three OF four on a side.
The oar is composed of two pieces and is
a very heavy affair, often as much as two
men care to lift. It has hole in the
under side and rests on pivot some
thing like an ortrigger. These oars run
back toward the stern of the boat and
are worked in manner something like
sculling by two men to an oar, the m n
standing to their work and facing e
side Of the boat.
To see one of these boats driven rapid
" through the water one is wildly re-
minded of the Roman triremes propelled
by the galley slaves of old. A peculiar
shout accompanies the rowing, as If to
aid in keeping time, but in fact each oar
is worked entirely independent of the
others, and there is no harmony what
ever. There are few more picturesque
scenes than these quaint japanese junks
with their high prows and sides as they
come in with their white square sails
set, and then the sudden transformation
into Roman galley as they approach
the shore.
There is of course no wharf at the
landing, and you are surprised as the
boat reaches the beach to see her turned
and run on to the beach stern foremost.
The success of the day can readily be
told even before they begin to discharge
cargo by the activity of the rowers and
the loudness Of their shout as they APP
proach the land, as well as often by
little banner run up in the stern, which
proclaians successful catch.
AS the boat lies by the shore the crowd
of men, women and children gather
around, and part of the crew discharge
the days catch, throwing the fish from
the boat into the shallow water near the
shore. Others take masts and oars from
the boat and carry them up the beach,
and others take out various other NOV
ables from the boat. During the month
of August the fish, which are taken en-
tirely by nets, are almost all kotsuo or
bon to, of firm flesh and much liked by
the Japanese as well as foreigners. A
good days catch for crew of 10 to IS
men is about 800 fish, though often more
than that number are taken. All the
fish, having been thrown into the water,
they are then gathered up and laid on
the beach and counted.
While this is going on we may notice
the sailors whose appearance seemed SO
unusual as they were seen approaching
the shore. We at once decide that a fish
mans wardrobe cannot be an expensive
draft upon his pocket, for their brown
bodies seem to be adorned by only two
garments, one narrow white cloth
about the loins and the other a BLUSH
white cloth about the head and forehead,
which prevents the perspiration from
flowing into their eyes. This latter gar
ment is rarely wanting, though the for
mer frequently is. They are finely de-
veloped fellows physically, nearly all
young men. and a very jovial and happy
crew. The crowd along the shore has
been Increased by the coming Of men
drawing two wheeled carts with baskets
upon them, into which the fish as soon as
they have been counted are placed, leav-
ing the beach red with their blood, and
away 20 the men for a night journey to
Milo, Il miles away, the nearest large
city, where the fish will be sold the next
morning, or perhaps shipped BY rail to
Toxic and other large towns.
Meanwhile the sailors have attached
ropes to the stern of the boat, and, with
much shouting and pulling, have drawn
her up over rollers upon the beach above
the tide. The absence of paint, pitch
or other substance for keeping the boat
watertight makes it necessary often
while she is lying ON the beach to pile