Evening star., 1943-03-14

Pennsylvania, discovered that with the
exception Of four rare species, ali salt
water fish can safely be eaten raw.
Cooking facilities on . rubber raft are
not good. Mr.. Pinchot called IN other
angling authorities, among them .. Kip
harrington and Michael Lerner, noted
big game fishermen: Julian T. Crandall
OF Ashaway, r. l., . fishing line manu-.
facturer, and Bill Hatch, noted hsiaine
guide, former guide for the late Paul
Townsend Of Washington. Tests were
made on Miami, Fla, after two months
Of experimentation, and adoption BY the
armed service quickly followed.
1t seems shame that such matters
were not devised before, and made stand
ard equipment on life RATS and In boats,
but that won't be true henceforth. The
ordeal Of Rickenbacker and his asso-
ciates and others abandoned on life RATS
in the endless wastes Of the ocean would
have been relieved by something ike
this.
New Life-Savins Kits.
Two kits are standard equipment.
Biggest is the 3-pound kit used by the
Navy. containing hooks. jigs. feathe.
bats. gang hooks for gigging, sinkers, .
small spear and gaff, knife and emery
stone, both OF which float; . pair Of
gloves and small dip net. The smaller
kit contains much the same equipment,
with some deletions. and is wrapped in
a vest or apron to be worn outside life
preserver. Each Of several fishing rigs
is equipped with strong fishing Tine The
big kit comes in a can, while the smaller
kit, for air service use is folded and
slowed on the collapsible boat or raft,
but both kits contain equipment enough
to catch fish enough to sustain life.
OF prime importance is the set OF Ash
ing instructions which 60 with each KIT.
These instructions. printed on pat-a-paY
paper, which won't be ruined by INNER
sion in salt water, will turn a man who
never dangled a fishing line into an
angling authority. 1t may not be sport.
ing, but the results will sustain life.
Twelve Rules.
Twelve general rules cover contingent
cies which may arise. Oceanic castaways
are advised not to make lines fast to q
finger, hand or raft. A big hsh may
cut hands, or break lines. Small fish,
rather than big ones, should be caught.
Fresh bait is better than salt bait, and
jigs and lures should be kept moving.
u. Above ALL in rubber raft care must be
taken to avoid puncture of the rubber.
You never know when fish will bite"
says the instructions, adding that hsh
will come to light at night.
Sharks have little use. Their meat Is
salty and promotes thirst. Also they
are dangerous and may nip Of . hand
or leg dangling overheard. But the sea
has plenty of food and most Of 1t can
be eaten raw. "All birds are good to eat,
cooked or raw" but who would want to
eat sea birds unless necessary? Certain
kinds Of seaweed are good and eels and
turtles are ok.
If landing is made on Q tropical
island the instructions are explicit as to
food and water Natives usually will be
friendly, and while standing water In
the tropics may be dangerous 1t can be
boiled. All animals are safe to eat, and
how would you like little hors d'oeuvre
Of toasted grasshopper? They're ok, too.
Many lives are going to be saved.
afloat and ashore, by this combination
of equipment and teaching. And the
best part OF 1t Is that . 1andlubber.
whether he has or has not felt the heave
and roll Of the ocean In his knees before,
can pick 1t up and do all right. The
ocean has IN 1t lot Of dsh. And fah
win sustain life.