FISHERIES AND SEAL-HUNTING. 77 



pedition stands at the prow of the boat, constantly sounding the water 

 with a long pole, to ascertain the presence of a school, or to see whether 

 one is approaching. He also gives the sign ,as soon as he thinks the 

 moment has coaie for casting the nets. Generally, the whole school is 

 caught. 



Gast net.) — These nets are chiefly used on the southwestern coast 

 of the Caspian Sea, at Lencoran, and in the bay of Enseli. They 

 are made of silk, and small scaly fish, and even roe, are caught with 

 them. The cast net is a round, conical net. If taken up in the middle, 

 it assumes the shape of a funnel, the lower opening having a diameter 

 of 5^ " arsheens," (12 feet 10 inches;) while in the middle of the net, 

 which forms the apex of the cone, there is a thin cord 8 "sagenes" (50 

 feet) long. A slack silk rope is attached to this, ending in a noose, 

 through which the hand can be easily passed. The opening is edged 

 with a strong bolt-rope of the thickness of a finder, which is ballasted 

 by small leaden tubes C inches long and 3 inches apart. In the spaces 

 between the leads, cords 10 inches long are attached, with one end to 

 the bolt-rope and the other to one of the meshes of the net above the 

 bolt-rope. Thereby, the lower portion of the net hangs in the shape of a 

 bag below each one of these cords, and the leads gradually approach 

 each other. This is the old cast-net with blouses, or pockets. 



When the net is cast, it spreads at first like a disk at the bottom 

 of the water; then, as soon as the cord is drawn, the vertical cords are 

 brought nearer together, and close the opening like a purse. The net 

 thus forms folds, and the fish, which are underneath, get entangled in 

 the meshes. It requires a certain degree of skill to cast the net. It is 

 done in the following mauner: The fisherman puts his left wrist in the 

 noose, holds a portion of the net gathered in his left hand, and with his 

 teeth tykes hold of the cord with the leads. At the same time he gath- 

 ers on his right arm about one-third of the extent of the net forming its 

 opening, in such a manner as to let the end hang below the arm, while 

 the remainder hangs down in front of his body. In this position, he 

 seizes with his right hand the cord with the leads, describes a semicircle 

 toward the left to give force to his throw, then turns quickly to the right, 

 and, slackening the cord which he holds between his teeth, casts the net 

 into the water with all his strength. The cord, weighted down by the 

 leads, immediately siuks to the bottom, and the net, completely extended, 

 catches the fish which are below. In order to draw it back, the fish- 

 erman lifts the net gradually by means of the cord, whose end he has 

 not slackened, turniug alternately to the right and to the left in order 

 to bring the leads together more easily, and winds up by drawing in the 

 whole net as rapidly as possible. 



In order to attract the fish, small glittering stones, or little clay -balls, 

 baited with worms, are thrown into the water. Fishing with the cast-net 

 is only carried on during the night, and an even bottom, without stones 

 or trunks of trees, is absolutely required. 



