lvi 



portion of people who eat fish ? it is remarked that Brahmins and high- 

 caste Hindus do not, but the rest, who are allowed by their religion, do. 

 The fish are said to have increased, and that very small ones are not 

 captured during' the rains, but the minimum size of the mesh of the nets 

 will only let a needle go through, whilst fish are trapped in the irrigated 

 fields during the rains. The Mamlutdar of Gogo observes that Kharwas 

 and Bhugwagurees take fish ; the former do not engage in other occu- 

 pations ; the latter do, being sailors. The markets are sufficiently supplied 

 with fish. A list of several castes is given, as the proportion of people 

 who eat fish, the supply of which article of food is said to have decreased. 

 Very small ones are taken during the rains by means of hand nets ; the 

 minimum size of the meshes will allow " half the last fina-er" to so 

 through. Fish are said not to be trapped in the irrigated fields during the 

 rains. The Mamlutdar of Purantey says, the fishermen are Kolees and 

 Bhoees, who also pursue other occupations. The markets are not fully 

 supplied with fish. The proportion of the population who eat fish is not 

 given, but a few castes are, terminating with " and such others eat fish." 

 The supply of late years has been stationary. Very small ones are captured 

 by children during the rains. A finger can go through the minimum 

 sized mesh of the nets. Breeding fish are trapped by children in the 

 irrigated fields during the rains in a cage called " Jako." The Mamlut- 

 dar of Sanund reports an absence of fishermen, a market insufficiently 

 supplied with fish, the quantity of which in late years has remained sta- 

 tionary ; notwithstanding, he continues, very small fish are captured with 

 cloths during the rains, whilst the smallest sized mesh of nets that are 

 employed is almost of the size of a toour seed. The Mamlutdar of 

 JJhuudooha observes that there are neither fish nor fishermen. The 

 Mamlutdars of Dhollca, Veerumgam and Morassa give such vague returns 

 that an analysis of them is of no practical use. 



111. In the Broach Collector ate, the Mamlutdars report that there 



are about 110 fishermen in Broach, 100 in 

 1 hS«S -m Jumioo^riO in AiMode, and 150 ia *„- 



sote j besides fishing they all twist coir ropes, 



build and repair houses, and work as day-labourers. The following 



are the castes of fishermen in Broach ; Dheemar machee, Maktomporia 



machee, Hansoteea machee, the last two having obtained their names 



from the villages whence they have emigrated. In Hansote the fishermen 



are by caste Talabda coolies, or Jumboosur machee, &c, and in Ahmode 



AYagris and Bhoees. The markets in Jumboosur, Broach, and Hansote 



are fully supplied with fish, and large quantities, both salt and dried, are 



exported : in Ahmode and Anklesur the supply is less than the demand ; 



between one-third and a quarter of the population of the Broach District 



would appear to consume it. The supply at Broach and Ahmode has 



decreased of late years, whilst that in Jumboosur and Hansote has remained 



stationary. Little fish during the rains are captured with small nets at 



Broach and Hansote, but not elsewhere at that season. The smallest size 



of mesh employed in Jumboosur at the seaward end of the net is one inch, 



landwards half an inch : at Ahmode one quarter of an inch, and in Broach 



one-sixth of an inch. Breeding fishes are not trapped in the irrigated 



fields, during the rains, as a rule. In Broach and Hansote nets are fixed 



across the stream where the water is shallow. Cast-nets are likewise 



