Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-02-05
IN KOREA.
DR.. EDwORDs DESCRIBES HOW KOREANS
FISH WITH BIRDS.
Interesting Description Of Koreans Handling
Cormorants in Catching Fish in the
Waters Of Korea.

Seoul, Korea. Feb. IF Japan is
interesting it is all forgotten when
one comes into Korea / shall have
to tell you of the first thing saw as
l came up the river to Seoul. 1t cer-
tainly is the most interesting thing I
have seen so far. have often heard
of fishing with cormorants. but sup
posed it was done with one or two big
birds. saw one fisherman handling
twelve. and he did it with dexterity
bordering on the marvellous. In each
boat there were four men. One hand
led the boat while the master stood at
the bow handling twelve birds.
Amidships stood another who handled
four birds while between these two
stood another who made a noise to
keep the birds up to their work.
Each cormorant wears at the base of
the neck loose ring tight enough to
prevent marketable fish from passing
below. but loose enough to permit
small ones to go through, as the ring
is never removed. Around the birds
body is a cord fastened to a bit of
wood, and to this is looped thin
rein of fibre. twelve feet long, with
SO little pliancy as to minimize the
danger of tangling. When the fishing
ground is reached the master lowers
the twelve birds. one by one. into the
water, and gathers the reins in his
left hand. manipulating them as oc-
casion requires with his right. The
master is now about the busiest man
you can imagine. He must handle
his twelve strings so deftly that let
the birds dash wheresosver they will
neither tangle nor foul the lines. He
must have his eyes everywhere and
his hands following his eyes, Spec
tally must he watch for the moment
when any OF his flock is gorged SO
that he can lift II aboard. force. it's
bill open and squeeze out the fish and
return the bird to the water without
interfering with the work of the
other eleven which are hustling about
in great activity.
From four to six good sized fish is
a fair result of each excursion of a
single bird, and then they have to be
relieved OF them and started over
again. This makes an average of
about $50 fish an hour for each cor
morant. or something like 450 for the
bird for three hours fishing. Every
bird in the flock has and knows it's
number, and one of the funny things
is to see the quick jealousy with
which they insist with cormorant
language and pantomimic protest ON
the observance of the rights attached
to their particular number. Number
One is dean OF the corps, owing to his
years of service, and takes first rank.
His colleagues come after him in
number according TO their ages.
Number One, or "Ichi," us he is
called. is last to be put in the water
and first to be taken out and fed. and
last TO enter the basket when the
work is over. Ichi. when aboard, has
the post of honor on the bow, and the
others come after him along the gun
vale according to number. If this law
of precedence be violated-if, for in
stance, number be put sitter number
D, or if number 6 be put in the water
before number z. there follows a riot
that is a sight to see and sound to
hear
AS each cormorant is taken from the
water the master of the boat can tell
from its weight whether it has eaten
enough small fish to serve as its sup
per. If it has not he makes good the
deficiency by feeding it with inferior
fish which are not marketable. When
the boat is fished over the prear-
ranged course the cormorants are
taken aboard and solemnly range
themselves along the gunwale accord
ing to their numbers. The master
does not have to place them for each
knows where he belongs and woe be
it for the one who presumes to get in
the wrong place for the others unite
in furnishing him for his temerity.
When it is remembered that cormorant
fishing always takes place at night
and by torch light, the Importance of
the work of the master who handles
twelve birds can better be appreciated.
The birds are caught young and
trained by placing them with older
ones. and fed when they do we'll. and
starve when they fail to catch fish for
the master. 1t takes about two
months to teach young bird to fish,
and their value increases with their
aptness and experience. An old bird
that is we'll versed in the work is
worth quite large sum. and they
are carefully tended and protected.
All fishermen protect their cormorants
with netting from mosquitoes when
not in the water.
Clarence E. Edwords.