The sea coast echo., 1900-02-03
CHINESE FISH CATCHING.
METHODS USED THAT SHOW MUCH
PAlNSTAKiNC CLEVGRNESS.

Although Fish Are Found Wherever
There Is Water, the supply Ia Kept
Stocked Constantly - Use of Birds in
Fishing on the Large Rivers.
The lakes, rivers and harbors OF
China swarm with fish. Every stag
nant pool contains them. and the rice
fields. while flooded during the win
ter, are sometimes used as fishing
grounds. In spite of this abundant
natural supply, the art of pisciculture
has been studied and is we'll und er
stood. Every spring men trundle
through all the provinces wheelbar-
rows laden with barrels of spawn,
and for few ''cash" enough of this
substance to stock large pond can
be bought. When poured ont it looks
like so much mud, no sign of life be-
Jug perceptible. About a fortnight
after it is thrown into the water the
young fish begin to appear. At first
these are fed twice day with chopped
vegetables, but after few days they
must forage for themselves. In some
parts of the empire it is customary TO
l.ut the sTawn into egg shells, which,
after being carefully closed, are placed
under sitting hens. After few days
the shells are broken and the spawn
is transferred to vessels containing
water we'll warmed by the sun.
Treated in this way it hatches far
more rapidly than if the former
method IS pursued.
Fishing in China is always looked
upon from a strictly practical point OF
view, and although the hook and line
are used occasionally, catching by
their aid is too slow a process to be
popular Enormous quantities of fish
are taken in nets baited with white of
egg on the meshes, to hasten which
process the fishermen often dive un
der water, and by clapping together
boards, make noise which frighte1s
then prey into the nets. Many OF
these men get very expert IN catching
with their 10 fish which try to es-
cape by hiding in the mud.
Next in favor to nets rank ''decoy
boats" low, narrow craft, which
anchor IN the rivers and harboTs. On
still, moonlight nights each boat has
fastened az the stern q board painted
white. When the moon shines on
these boards the fish leap out on them
an4 are then easily secured. On dark
nights bright lights, placed close to
the water, replace the boards, and
when thus equipped the fleet becomes
extremely picturesque.
Fish are also captured with spears,
scraped mp bv dredges and caught by
birds The cormorant, used for this
purpose, has Il short neck, a long,
slightly hocked beak, and is about
the size of our ordinary domestic duck.
These Iii. ds are never handsome, hut
after a days fishing, when theit
fea hers are uEed, they have ols-
reputable, having been out all-night
air, which makes them lcok particu
lariy ugly. The custom Of the fisher
man is to start off early IN the lDorn-
ing Oh laf.s or III beats, having on
board from twelve to fifteen cormor-
ants, all Of which have been kept fast
ing for at least one day. Before the
birds begin work each one has slipped
roGnd is neck an iron ring, large
enough to permit free breathing but
too small to allow the feotheyej fisher
man to allow his capture. Each man
allows four OF five birds to dive at
once, although hundreds Of the are
often in the water together. All the
| older ones know their own ma ter and
/ take their catches inmelia ely 10 his
boat Until fully tcaine3, each cor
morani has attached to the ring a
coyd which is pu lei if the GWd re-
mains to long under water or shows
! disposition TO wander about and
neglect business. A little bamboo
''chow chow, " beating with thin
bamboo is also sometimes admins
tered to lazy pupils.
After one set OF cormorant5 has
diyol q number of times rest IS
allowed. Their neck rings are taken
OF and they are allowed to eat few
( fish while fresh lot OF birds is at
work. These fishers seldom fail to
cstch fish When they dive, ana are
capable Of bringing up weight equal
| in { their own. If one seizes too heavy
fish occasionally a friend will go to
his assistance and help him carry it
ABOARD. bat it is more common to see
weak birds robbed by their stronger
companions. When numbers of cor
morants a~e at work together, ami
mated and interesting as is the scene,
the deafening noise made by the birds
| is serious draw back to its enjoy
ment. On The rivers, towards even
| ing, a long line of boats may be seen
returning home. the cormorants
perched in naarly equal numbers on
both sides. 1t is said their own il
stinct teaches them thus TO preserve
/ the ta,ance Of the cra {.
The Chinese boast of Icing abe to
eat different kind of fish every day Of
the year, but they are not over lartic-
ular, and except one particularly re-
pulsiye species OF frog, they are viii
| ling TO devour anything the waters
conta Il. This is true at least Of the
masses. Celestial epicures. however,
| despise the commoner sorts Of fish.
| By them the species esteemed are the
sole, the "sam-.l" double first cousin
to cur shadl. tae young shark and the
sturgeon. The latter fish is rare in
| south emma, but great numbers are
| taken in the Yangste river, fish weigh
| ing 1000 pounds or more being by
no means uncommon captures. The
young sharks are often killed by hav-
ing thrown to them a bait of hot
boiled melons, the heat proving deadly
very soon after the fruit is swallowed.
| In order to prol3 3itiate all water gods
the fishermen hp!d every spring a
celebration. Til lose settled on the
coast are mostly b turbulent set. with
whom the peace hl vocation OF hSnins
often serves to q ioak the more pro "a
BILE one Of piracy But even when 'nlS
is the case, it equally important an,.,1Io TO
''chin-chin," And keep on gool terms : n
with the '.,o&ses" who rule The WINDS
and the Waves SO all fishermen
genuine cHotherwise, gather toGe' hsr'
and og5 eseral successive evenings ,
march Ibrouoh the towns and villages