XCV11 



said to eat fish, the number of whom in six talookas is estimated at 

 390,389 persons; in six fresh fish are preferred, in cne the salted article. 

 The local markets, except that of the town of Kurnal, are said, by those 

 who have answered this question, to be insufficiently supplied, whilst the 

 amount in the waters is reported as stationaiy by three, and decreased by 

 four. The Tehsilclar of Bamalkota observes that " after the construction 

 of the anicut (weir) at Sunkesula, and the opening 1 of the irrigation 

 canal, wages have so greatly risen at and near Kurnal, and the fishes in 

 the river have so perceptibly diminished, that fishing has become, more or 

 less, a secondary occupation. Bearing palanquins and working on the 

 irrigation canal for hire form their chief occupation. The fish have 

 undoubtedly decreased since the construction of the anicut in 1861. 

 Their ascent during the spawning season is barred by the anicut, and 

 they are captured in roe, just below it, at Kontalapad and the villages of 

 the Nizam situated on the opposite bank. It is therefore asserted by all 

 the fishermen of whom I have enquired that the river stock has consi- 

 derably decreased of late years, except, of course, at Kontalapad, where 

 the fishes are now caught in comparatively greater numbers than before, 

 in the Madugus (deep holes) in the river to which they return after 

 repeated attempts to get over the anicut, and also at the sluices. The 

 Curnum of Kontalapad assures me that in the best fishing season there 

 are not more than eight or ten men who go out fishing." The usual size 

 of the mesh of the nets is variously given from that of a grain of dholl, 

 or Bengal gram, or tamarind seed, or pepper corn, or one-eighth of an 

 inch to the size of the thumb or larger. Fishing baskets and wicker 

 traps are stated to be employed. He subsequently suggested that nets 

 and traps ought to have holes large enough for a 2-anna piece to go 

 through (six-tenths of an inch in diameter) . The Tehsildar of Markapur 

 observes that small fish are caught during the rainy season, in the 

 supply channels, and in the calingulahs when the water runs a span deep, 

 a conical shaped net, ' Kodirnay/ is kept against the current, constructed 

 with small split bamboos, having holes large enough for a big black ant 

 to pass through. Its mouth is covered in a similar manner with fine 

 split bamboos inwardly woven, leaving a space to allow the fish enter ; 

 once in, they cannot return. It becomes filled with small fish if kept for 

 about three hours in the water. The size of the smallest mesh of nets 

 is equal to that of a grain of Bengal gram. The ' Udu' or conical 

 basket is employed for capturing breeding fish as they are seen ascending 

 into irrigated fields. 



181. In the Chingleput Collectorate six Tehsildars report that in 

 . . some places the fishermen do not follow anv 



Opinions of Native officials in t i ±.- i j_ i j.i i 



theChiugleput Collectorate. other occupation, but, as a rule, they are also 



agriculturists, palanquin-bearers, boatmen, 

 coolies, and petty traders and artizans. All the people, excepting Brah- 

 mins, Komaties, Jains, Sivites, and a few others, eat fish, the numbers 

 being computed at 694,147 persons ; salt or fresh are indiscriminately 

 taken in three, but fresh are preferred in two. The markets in the vici- 

 nity of the sea are stated to be well supplied, whilst the amount in the 

 fresh-waters is asserted to have decreased in all the talookas. £Since 

 this was written, the Acting Collector (April 18th, 1872) has reported that 

 the Native officials assert that the supply of fish remains stationary, but 







