Bheel Manner of Fish mg. 457 



largest fish. I cannot learn that it is ever used for such a 

 purpose in present times. 



Gibara, Island of Cuba, May 13. 1836. 



Art. II. Notices of Modes of capturing Fishes ; One in India, 

 One in the British West Indies. 



Bheel Manner of Fishing. — At Ummeerghur, in Upper 

 India, Bishop Heber received a stock of very fine fishes, 

 enough to dine the whole camp. The fishes had been " the 

 inhabitants of a large pool close to the Castle Hill, which ap- 

 peared, in the rains, to cover about eighty acres, being then 

 supplied from the Bunass river. It usually retained its water 

 all the year ; but this cruel season had already brought it very 

 low, and in a month more they calculated that it would be 

 quite dry. Accordingly, all hands were now at work to catch 

 the fish while they were yet alive ; and people from the whole 

 country round about had assembled, either for this purpose, 

 or to purchase them ; a very large 6 rooce ' being to be had 

 for a single pice. Captain Gerard, an engineer officer who 

 met me here, went to see the chace, and said it was very cu- 

 rious. The fish were pursued in the shallow muddy water 

 with sticks, spears, and hands, in all directions ; but there was 

 little execution done till four Bheels, in the service of the 

 Oodeypoor government, made their appearance. The rabble 

 were then driven away ; and these savages, with their bows 

 and arrows, made in a few hours that havoc among the fish 

 which produced such plenty in the camp, singling out the 

 largest, and striking them with as much certainty as if they 

 had been sheep in a fold. The magistrates offered to renew 

 the sport for my diversion in the evening ; but, being Sunday, 

 I did not choose it. I saw the fishermen, however, who were 

 the first of their nation I had met with ; middle-sized slender 

 men, very dark, with frames which promised hardiness and 

 agility more than much muscular strength. They were bare- 

 headed, and quite naked, except a small belt of coarse cloth 

 round the loins, in which they carried their knives. Their 

 bows were of split bamboos, very simply made, but strong 

 and elastic ; more so, I think, than those of buffalo-horn, 

 which are generally used in Hindoostan. They were about 

 4ft. 6 in. long, and formed like those of Europe. The arrows 

 were also of bamboo, with an iron head coarsely made, and a 

 long single barb. Those intended for striking fish had this 

 head so contrived, as to slip off from the shaft when the fish 

 was struck, but to remain connected with it by a long line, 



