Year: 1860

lower edge of the nets, in order to sink them
to the bottom, the upper edge being foated
by pieces of the cork k-tree they are cast into
the sea by two boats crew, parting from one
point, and lowering them in such a manner
as to form succession Of squares, loud cries
Of JOY announcing the completion of each
chamber To understand this term, it must
be remembered that we have said the nets
form oo}ts of network, openings being left
between each chamber by which the fish are
to enter, and which can be closed at will, by
raising from the bottom to the top Of the
net, q door or curtain which lies reefed be-
low til the fish enter; it is then drawn up
behind them, thus preventing their escape.
Finding the opening to the second chamber,
they enter, and are incloscd by the raising
Of a curtain, as in the first; and so they go
on through the several chambers, until they
reach, the last and fatal one, called the
"chamber Of death" At the bottom Of
this last room is a square Of network, i'm
mensely strong, called the zcra, exactly fit
ting to the four sides Of the net-walls this
can BE raised and lowered at pleasures


1t may not be generally known to English
readers, that St Anthony is considered as
the patron Of fishermen; to account for which
the Sicilians say, that one day he began to
preach to the heathens but as they remain
ed incredulous, he turned round aud ad-
dressed the fishes, who came out of the water
in crowds to listen to him; on which the peo-
pie who witnessed the miracle became con-
verte3 in great numbers AS soon, then,
as the nets are fairly in the sea, the protec-
ton Of St. Anthony is implored, and large
branch of olive, some ten feet high, which
has been previously blessed in the church,
is fixed in the center Of the tonnara. The
priest then makes the circuit of the nets in
a boat, pronouncing blessing as he goes.
This is the last preparation, and to the Sicil-
ians the most important, for their religion
enters into all they do.


The nets, then, being fairly established,
and in perfect order, two watchers are placed
at the opening of the first chamber, to an
nounce the entrance of the fish The men
lean over the edge of the boat, having a
tarpauling spread over their heads, to screen
them from the sun, and to throw shade
on the water, on which they drop little oil
from time to time to render it smooth by
these means they can see what is passing in
the .ue depths below. The watchers are
relieved every three hours, and remain at
their post immovable and in perfect silence
from before dawn till evening. When they
see troop Of fish enter, they close the en-
trance to the nets the tunnies 60 round and
round till they come to the opening into the
obop,
at the chamber of death. The men then
hoist signal, which. being perceived on
shore, red flag is run upon the castle
tower, which is saluted with cries of "Ban-
diera a Solanto!'' (The flag at Solanto, and
the boats put off with the men requisite to
weigh the net.


Sometimes the fish remain hours, or even
days. in the center divisions of the nets, and
will not so to the last, as if they knew either
of forcing or enticing them forward-they
must be left to themselves. [ was once
present at a very large ''take' of tunnies at
Solanto.


The graceful three -masted launch of the
proprietor put off from the shore one morn
ing early, when the red flag on the castle
tower announced that fish were in the cham
Der of death. She bounded, propelled by
six young rowers, over the sapphire waters,
more deeply blue than the sky overhead,
and we were soon at the scene of action
The movable floor Of net work, Qeva) was
being rapidly hauled to the surface of the
water; the fishermen uttering loud cries Of
joy, as their practiced eyes already perceived
In the blue depths their monstrous prey in
great numbers. The flying fish, which by
chance had got into the net, sprang high
into the air, and were caught by the look
ers-on. The scene soon became painfully
and intensely exciting. We could see the
imprisoned victims rushing wildly round and
round, trying to escape, and casting the
water, lashed into foam by their struggles,
high into the air. At length when the net
was within six or eight feet of the surface,
it was made fast at the four corners, and the
battle began. Each man seized his sharp,
hooked weapon, and plunging it into the
fish, dragged them, with loud shouts, alive
into the boats blood spouted in great guam
titles from the wounded creatures, covering
the men and reddening the waves for a lon 2
distance round. The butchery continued
till all were taken the efforts Of two or three
men~being required to secure each fish, as
they are very strong. Once out ofthe water
however, they soon die


People Of all ranks take the greatest de-
light in this scene, and come from long dis
tances to witness it. They do not call it
fishing, but killing, as in fact it is. The
boats are towed to the shore, and the fish
are sold to dealers from all the neighboring
towns and villages, some buying one fish,
some two or three, according to the popula-
ton to be supplied.


The first take Of funny that witnessed
was on the seventeenth of April; the num-
ber in the net was found to be sixteen. They
were sold on The beach at Palermo, for
sum equal to SO sterling; this large price,
averaging nearly one shilling pound, was
obtained because it was the first haul of the
season. The greatest activity prevails dur
ing the first half of Tune. Prayers arc offer
ed up daily to St. Anthony, from the first to


*Ihe object of forming these numerous cha uhers