Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-12-24


Charles Dean, 'and while I
saw more curious and sur
prising things there than could tell
about if I talked month, nothing
amused me so much as the fishing
cormorants at their work. The first
time L saw cormorant fishing l was
walking along the River Min. By and
by [ came to bamboo float or raft,
moored to the pier of bridge A
Chinaman was squatting on the raft,
and some birds [ took at first to be
ducks were grouped at one end of it.
They we're all faced toward the squat
ting Chinaman, who was gazing stead
lily at them, his hands on his knees
Suddenly the Chinaman extended
his right hand, palm upward, toward
one of the birds, which l had by this
time discovered were not ducks. This
particular bird came briskly toward
the Chinaman and climbed upon his
open palm. The man stroked its
feathers fondly, rubbed his cheek
along its neck and talked to it in
Chinese, evidently in terms of endear-
ment. The bird seemed delighted
with this treatment 1t laid its head
on the Chinaman's arm, strol1ed his
face with his queer looking bill and
returned all his caresses. This mu-
tual fondling continued for perhaps
minute. Then the Chinaman moved
with the bird to the further side of
the float and placed it on the edge.
Then for the first time | realized
what was going On. Here was Chi
nese fisherman and his Invaluable aids,
the cormorants
"When this cormorant was placed
on the edge of the float it dipped its
bill into the water, snapped it loudly,
looked up and down the side of the
raft, turned its head, fixed its glitter
ing black eyes an instant on its master,
and then slid from the float down into
the water, without leaving as much as
a ripple where it disappeared. The
Chinaman sat down and awaited the re-
appearance of his bird without any ap-
parent concern or impatience. The
other birds renamed standing at their
end of the raft, almost motionless, and
ever with their shining eyes tized on the
fisherman. The cormorant that had
dived into the water remained under
for nearly half minute. Then it
came up with pop that threw it al
most clear of the water. The tail and
half the body of fish protruded from
it's bill. The bird swan straight for
the raft, climbed upon it, jumped
upon its masters knee, and held its
head up for him to remove the fish.
With one hand the Chinaman drew
the fish from the cormorant's mouth
and with the other strokeI its neck
and plumage, and with his mouth close
to its head murmured what were un-
doubtedly words of approval to the
bird. the cormorant shook out its
feathers and in various ways showed
its delight.
CATER few minutes the Chinaman
again placed the bird on the edge of
the float, and one more it glided noise
lessly into the stream. The other
birds maintained their stolidity, to all
appearance utterly unconscious OF
everything except the presence of
their master. The busy comorant re-
appeared in q short time, having again
made successful dive. Another
caressing scene between it and the
Chinaman followed, and third time
the bird returned to the water 1t
now seemed to be thoroughly warmed
up to it's work, and went at 1t with an
avidity that showed plainly the great
pleasure the bird took in the chase.
The third dive kept the comorant un-
der water longer than the others, and
when it came up it had no fish. The
change in it's actions was striking. 1t
swan frantically about IN the water,
twisting and turning, and manifesting
the greatest distress but, turn which
ever way it might, it kept its glitter
ing eyes fixed on its master, and, it
seemed to me, with an appealing ex.
preston in them.
"The bird made no move to ap-
proach the raft, and when the China
man raised his hand and pointed
downward with his forefnger, the
eager bird dived again, and SO quickly
that it was out of sight like flash. 1t
was beneath the surface not longer
than ten seconds. This time it came
up with large fish in its mouth and
swan boldly toward the raft. Depos-
iting its prize at its masters feet, the
bird showed plainly by its actions us
the Chinaman stroked it's feathers that
it knew that it had redeemed itself
and held its masters favor. And l
soon learned that it was pleasanter for
a cormorant to gain its masters favor
than his displeasure.
"When the Chinaman had placed
the third fish in his basket he took
the cormorant and stood it in the
centre of the raft This meant, as
saw by the birds action, that the cor
morant had done satisfactory work
and was entitled to n rest The bird
strutted proudly, but by no means
gracefully, to the end Of the raft, op-
posite where its companions stood,
and took its place there. When this
was done great change came over
the rest of the cormorants. Each one
Strengthened itself up to its full