lvii 



used in deeper water. Large nets supported at intervals by light hollow 

 gourds are stretched out in the river, one end being attached to a 

 boat. 



112. The Mamlutdars of the Kaira CoUectorate report that it is 



difficult to give the exact number of fisher- 



Opinions of native officials in m ag t j are as a ru l e agriculturists like- 



the kaira CoUectorate. . ' , i, , , , ' ■■ -, , i n 



wise, and otten employ themselves during* the 



monsoon in plying feny -boats on the larger rivers. On the banks of the 



Mhye there are probably about 500 persons employed in supplying the 



Baroda market with fish, both fresh and salt. The only fisherman caste 



is the " Machee/-' but many coolies and Mussulmen engage in fishing as 



well. There is stated to be little or no demand for fresh fish in the local 



markets. Possibly about one-sixth of the population have no religious 



scruples about eating it, but few comparatively use this food from 



choice. It is supposed that the supply of fish in the Mhye has decreased 



of late years. The common superstitious belief is, that the deities of the 



river have been displeased by the withholding of the offerings formerly 



made by travellers who crossed it in carts, previously to the opening of 



the railway. Fishing is common during the rains ; all sorts are captured ; 



the nets allow none to escape ; the minimum size of the mesh is about one 



quarter of an inch in diameter. Fish are not trapped in irrigated fields 



during the rains, as irrigation is chiefly derived from wells. The following 



are the principal implements employed in fishing : rod and line " gul" ; 



torch-fishing by night, "Ook"; hand nets, "hath jhal" ; or cast-nets, 



(" fulolu") ; and large nets, " maha jhal." 



113. The Mamlutdars in the Khandeish CoUectorate report that 



there are 23,600 fishermen in the whole of 

 Opinions of native officials in the district, but they do not depend upon fish- 

 the Khandeish CoUectorate. . . J „ ,. \., -, x ,, 



mg alone as a means ot livelihood, as they 



also pursue different occupations. The names of the fishermen castes are 

 Kofi, Pardi, Kokne, Wanjari, Bhui, Mahar, Baradi, Bhil, Diwar, Kotil, 

 Mussulman, Mawache, and Thudwi. The local markets are insufficiently 

 supplied with fish, that captured being principally for home consumption. 

 Three-fourths of the people eat fish, the amount of which in the district 

 has decreased of late. During the rains many small ones are captured in 

 every possible way. The smallest mesh employed is down to one quarter 

 of an inch, after which a cloth is used, or no mesh at all. Fish are 

 trapped in the irrigated fields during the rains. The different means used 

 for capturing fish are jali, nets; basket traps; gul, a hook used only 

 in the rains, cloth, poison of sorts as follows, hinganbet, yathil, gir 

 and thor. 



111. The Mamlutdars of the NasiJc CoUectorate report that there 

 _ . . „ . „ . , are about 1,000 fishermen in the district, but 



Opinions or native officials i ,■ i i j_i i j 



in the Nasik CoUectorate. some onl y are at tmies solel 7 thus employed, 



as they are also agriculturists and day-labour- 

 ers. The fishermen castes are Maratha, Bhoee, Kahar, Koli, Bhil, Taroo, 

 Taral, Kokne', Warli. Many Mussulmen and Koonbees also fish. None 

 of the markets are sufficiently supplied. AVith respect to the propor- 

 tion of persons who eat fish, the reports vary, in some talookas only 

 one in twenty-two of the population are stated to do so, in others two- 

 thirds or three-fourths, or| even fifteen-sixteenths do. In the Penit State, 



