The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-07-27
FIRE-FIsHING ON THE RIVIERA

Y IIlE-r ApIll4NI ON lI1N M V AiHiN1A'
 Of all sports of Europe, flre-tishing, pesca al fuoco, as it is locally called, is surely one of the most picturesque. It is from one point of view something more than sport, as it affords a means of livelihood, during a part of the year, for a portion of the popula- tion of every village along the Riviera. The start is made from the harbor in perfect darkness though this fact troubles the natives very little, for the only light visible in an Ialian village after nine o'clock Is that of an osteria. This gradually dwindles away in the distance, and the boat glides silently on, leaving a livid green patch wherev- CT the oars dip. The torch is only lighted when the rocks are reached and the fishing begins in earnest. It makes very quaint picture, as the smoky fire of the torch streams out fitfully, ira diating the eager face and the poised harpoon of the fisherman, illuminating part of the rock which rises perhaps three hundred feet straight out of the water, while here and there it reveals a black pine trunk, with a crown of dark green, and makes the shadows of the boatmen seem almost to be climbing the precipice as it flares and f1ickers. The oarsman must be very "capace" as the boat has to thread in and out to pass over sunken rocks, and explore the tar-black caverns made by the overhanging cliff. The great drawback of fire-f1shing, from the fisherman's point of view, Is the expense of having his harpoon repaired, which is necessa- ry almost every other night, as the teeth are constantly turned and blunt ed by the rocks. The fish vice of rock, or upon the bottom; unless this Is the case they often escape, as there is no resistance to the harpoon.
 Fire-fishing is not entirely without drawbacks. When a "diavolino" or small devil-f1sh, for instance, is brought hurriedly into the boat one is reused with unpleasant haste from contemplating the beauties of the scene to find ones self very literally between the devil and the deep sea. The most revolting fish, and the one which is, perhaps, caught most often, is the octopus. He looks up at one with a supercilious expression in his two projecting eyes, which changes to surprise and indignation when he finds himself deposited in the boat occa- sionally-for the Italians are fond of practical jokes-in the lap of the un- l fortunate stranger, who is, in conse- quence, not seldom obliged to nurse the monstrosity for some considerable | time, as the octopus is determined creature with a strong will of his own, and 1t is his habit to hold on with all l the strength of his eight legs to any | object that may have the i'll fortune, I hardly know whether to say to please l or displease him. The dread that all ways haunted me out fishing almost spoit my enjoyment The oarsmen stand and push when rowing, and eve ry now and then they stop to hand some wood to the harpooner to keep l the torch alive. On one occasion an octopus instead of the wood was hand | ed out in the darkness, and l narrow ] ly escaped his tender embrace; after that I was never quite happy when I had my back to the oarsmen. The oc- topus has an original habit of leaving his native element and taking excur- sions up the rocks every now and then, when any unaccustomed noise rouses his curiosity. He Is not infrequently captured while on these excursions, and if he is not an octopus of too port | ly a person, is immediately eaten by his captor. The Italians are very fond of eating fish literally alive. It is a frequent and far from an appetizing sight, to see a fish disappear slowly, struggling energetically like worm that is taken by bird.-Badminton Magazine.