85 



Fig. 2. 



Flag buoy on Katnagivi drift-net. 



The head rope, made of coir, is well buoyed with very numerous 

 wooden floats of cylindrical form and is marked at one-third 

 and tw^o-thirds of its length by a large Y shaped wooden buoy 

 carrvino; a small flag;. These buovs measure three feet over all. 



To resume the account of the night's operations ; at 8 p.m. 



the little outrigger canoe 

 which these boats carry 

 for the purpose was 

 launched over the side and 

 three men paddled away 

 along the line of net now 

 streaming north-west- 

 wards into the wind. As 

 the canoe passed along 

 the net two men leaned 

 over the side, the one 

 gathering in the lower 

 edge of the net and the 

 other dropping it back 

 after examination. This 

 examination was made 

 again three times during the night. Soon after sunrise the net 

 was hauled and after being re-stowed in the waist and the last 

 fish gathered up, mast and sail were raised and the run home 

 commenced. On the way back a ceitain proportion of the fish 

 is usually gutted and cleaned, but complaint is sometimes heard 

 from the contractors, who receive the fish, that this gutting is 

 largely neglected with the result that by the time the boats 

 deliver their catches, from 11 a.m. until as late as 3 p.m. if the 

 wind be light or adverse, the condition of the fish is anything 

 but good. The value of a steam or motor carrier or of motor 

 power in the fishing boats themselves is clearly indicated here. 



44. The fish, brought in by these boats consists principally 

 of seer, bonito, palamin (Chorinemus), catfish, sharks often ef 

 large size, together with occasional sword-fish, also Rhinobaiis 

 and other rays. 



45. The boats used by Eatnagiri fishermen are of three 

 kinds, the two smaller, used in the vowri net fishery, returning 

 to port daily ; the larger used in the deep-sea shark and ray 

 fishery which lasts from January to March. The net used by 

 these larger boats is called Vavuryala balai, a large edition of 

 the Malabar sravu vala, of large mesh and stout twine. In 

 jmrsuit of their prey these boats have to go considerable 

 distances from land and even to the limit of soundings, the 

 100-iathom line. They keep the sea continuously for periods 



