The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-05
QUEER WAYS OF FISHING.
PICKS AND SHOYELS USED IN ONE
PART or AFRICA.

And the Fish Found Nicely Wrapped I'm In
Clay Constructing FISH on Land In nm
Indian Jungle-A Travellers Tales of
Other Fish That Like to Go walking.
II have had som remarkable adventures
with big game in Africa" said a returned trav-
eller, but tho experience which Impressed
me most was \ fishing trip. ] had an old col
leGe mate on ono Of the rivers branching from
the Niger and hearing that l was In the coun-
try he sent some OF HE people for mo. A
week later I was Of his plantation In the very
heart Of the game region. One evening my
host said to me;
John. the larder IL pretty. low. How
would you like a days fshinRf'
Nothing better I replied. IT'S a long
time since I'Ye whipped n stream with q rod
oh said my friend. we don't use rods
here, especially at this time OF the year. There
are the TOOLS and he pointed to n number of
the natives armed with picks and shovels.
Il said nothing. as l supposed II was a Joke,
and Joined the procession that wound away
through the woods, It was a wonderful coun-
try. splendid forests with trees centuries old.
so thick and so with vines that
you would think night had come on. then sud
denly you came out into n little glade. an oasis
among the trees with tall grass. where the
gorilla was said to sun himself. and which 30
hhV VI bAhO ANseN - SNSbNaF N-NN
/ did not feel happy as long as we were In IL.
but nothing was seen and finally we eame TO
ar open country. covered here and there with
low.brush. and the men halted on the edge of a
peculiar and irregular saucer.like depression
about 100 yards across. 1t looked like the
dry bed Of II lake. and such 10 was. an odd
place to 70 fishing, but 10 was the place select
ed by my friend and presently the men were
hard at work with pick and shovel.
THE earth was baked very dry. and the
dust flew in clouds. Finally one OF the men
gave a shout and threw something out that he
had struck about two feet down. 1t looked
like a brick with the edges worn of. Ny
riend picked IL up and handed 10 to me.
saying. There's the lirst fish; Il "a yours as
guest OF the trip l took 1t and still thinking
that I was being fooled dropned IL into my
pocket. But my friend insisted that / inves-
tigate. 80 with a stone l broke the briek .like
object into pieces. when out rolled a fish al
most a foot long. alive and opening Its gills as
though 1t had been awakened from a ten years
sleep. The fish had been packed away in aease
as deity as though made BY sone skilled
worker. The inside was as smooth: as glass
and the color Of mahogany. and. 80 far as I
could see. air tight; in this the fish had been
Theoretically sealed.
THE men were now tossing out fish every
few minutes. Some OF the cases broke as they
fell and the fishes soon died.in the hot sun. but
in most cases they were kept intact and piled
In a heap until twenty or more had been found.
They lay at a depth Of from one to two and o
half feet. and IL was not accidental. The fish
at the approach OF the dry season left the sur
face and wriRgled its way down through the
mud. then. by the aid Of the mucus on its
scales. formed a smooth. hard case In which it
lay until the rain came again.
ssTl,AaA I.r 1nl,ao 7 AnrnA has hnar thA
cause of reputed miracles. People had been
camping in them possibly when the first rain
came. and where an hour or two before was
earth baked to q brick-like consistence. was
now a small pond alive with fishes. Tit mo-
ment the water penetrated to them the soil
melted away and the fishes worked their way
up through the sofs mud. When the natives
had dug up enough FISH We returned to camp.
where they were piled up like cordwood.
When one was required for the table the cook
simply put the case in water as he would a
potato. soaked out the fish. and there IL was.
alive and ready for the broiler. The fish was
a long eel-shaped creature Will a head like o
snake and four fins placed as though they were
legs. 1t was very good to the taste despite the
fact that it was preserved fish.
In India" continued the traveller. Il saw
another remarkable fish hunt. / was at the
place OF a friend. a retired army officer. who
lived near The little town OF Sargooi. for the
tiger shooting One day we were walking
through the Jungle with an American collector.
who was also q guest. when we came upon o
crowd nj native men. women and children
provided with baskets of various kinds. They
we're walking rapidly and in reply to a aues-
ton one OF the men said that there was a great
run OF lsh near a little branch Of the Boolu
River. not n mile away. and they were going
for the fishing.
" Here's a chance said our host. for you
to see the stranRest rs hing one ever took a
hand in
so we followed the shouting. laughing
crowd. who soon turned into the bush and
finally zane 10 what was during the rainy sea-
son a fairly well filed stream. but now rapidly
running dry. They kept down the bank until
the water grew deeper. all peering carefully at
the muddy banks as though watching for some
thing. Suddenly n small boy uttered a shout
and dashed into the bush. the others following.
They have struck the trail explained our
host.
Trail Of what?' I asked.
Fish, he rejojned. See here. and here
o examining the soft mud / could dis
tinctly see n singular maze of marks. as
though something had been dragged along.
Tho shouts o! the natives grew louder and
louder. like the baylng Of hounds on a fresh
trail. and when We overlook them they were
picking up little perchlike fishes from among
the dry leaves Of the forest as you would fruit
or nuts. The ground was covered with them,
all moving apparently In one direction by a
wriggllng IN otion. and their sharp fms. The
procession. If you can call 1t that. was very
struggling at the sides. but In ths middle the
fishes were so thick that you could pick them
up and fill a small basket without moving.
Ulnu NEa N aat 60 fhA -A"Wl L..
remarkable instinct heading for a stream
about 200 yards distant that had n good sup
ply OF water. In q word. they were migrating
overland Just as a bird would. using their fms
as feet or legs and making remarkable time
for fish. | timed several and found that they
could move a foot In two minutes. not very
rapid time. it must be confessed. but still fast
for o fish. and then I was watching 1t. A
watched pot never boils and q watched fish
never walks very fast. / am confident. as my
FISH fell over on It's back or side several times, |
and i had to set II right, an interference which