The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-11-10
FRESH SALTWATER FISH.
How Gilbert Islanders Transform
&. Them by a Peculiar
: E - Process. 81


islands of the north and south Pacific
in most cases low, narrow ribbonsof
sandy soil, clothed with cocoa palms.,
and inclosing lagoons of seawater-the
chance visitor is sometimes surprised at
being asked by the local trader if he
would like some fresh water fish, for
breakfast, says Leisure Hour.
For, as these equatorial isles possess
neither rivers, creeks nor springs, one
would naturally wonder from where the
fresh-water fish would come; yet they
are to be had in plenty, and very ex-
cellent fish they are. "a
In appearance they are handsome.
with blue and silver ''marbled" back
and sides, tapering bodies and small
fins, and tails Of bright yellow, tipped
with blue, and they run up to three
pounds in weight. On the Island of Peru,
in the Gilbert group, the writer has
seen some taken from the ponds OF 5k
pounds:
When westerly winds prevail and rain
falls, the work of turning saltwater
fish into fresh water fish begins. First,
of all, the smaller ponds for the recep-
ton Of the fry are cleaned out, all de-
bris being removed by the women and
children; this is usually done when
rain is falling, so that in few hours a
pond will have been emptied of the old,
partly stagnant water, and fresh sup
ply of rain water has run into it..
Such fish as may have been in it
when the cleaning out began are then
replaced or transferred to a large and
deeper pool, according to their size.
Then the pools being in readiness, the
women and children. carrying WOODEN
bowls and small-meshed scoop nets,
set out for the lagoon beaches and
sandy flats, and wait for high water.
AS the tide recedes, they step carefully
into the water, and scan the margin
for the objects of their search-little,
transparent, goggle-eyed fish, about
half an inch in length, in shape not IN
like tadpole.
When sufficient number have been
taken to restocl1 the nursing" ponds,
the women return to the village, where
the fry are thinned out from the re-
spective bowls or transferred to larger
ones, in which is brakish water, that
is, half sea and half rain water.
Here. for some days the little strang
ers are carefully tended. feeding begin
ming in about a week, when the women
| pound up or masticate the flesh of the
them.
After transference to the ponds these
fish increase in size very rapidly, and
become very fat on their diet of coca
nut. It. would be incorrect, however,
to speak of the water in these artificial
ponds as being absolutely fresh, for it
is subject to the rise and fall of the tides.
At high tide it has, especially during the
dry season, brakish taste, and rises
some feet; at the ebb it is fresh enough
to- he used for drinking or cooking. The
| natives value. the fish very highly, and
| the ponds are only dragged at intervals
Of some months, all fish under GER
tain size being returned to the water.
More than 80 years ago quarrel for
the possession Of a large fishpond on the
Island of Aspian led to a savage en-
counter, the women of one village at
lacking those of another with sharks
teeth swords and daggers; then the
men Joined in with muskets and knives,
several persons being killed and many
wounded.
Nowadays the sharks teeth spears
! and daggers are made only for the pur-
pose of selling them to the white WIS.,
itor, and muskets, rifles and revolvers
are articles forbidden by the British
resident. But the fish cultivation goes
on as usual.