S24 



THE Tkvri^^ns. AUKivUi^iURISir^ [tzv, 1, iBSe, 



Fishing as a recreative sport is, of course, unknown 

 to the IJurmau ; his object is to catch as man^' fish 

 as possible with the least expenditure of trouble. 

 Heuce his methoils possess some peculiarities. In ihe 

 case of air-breathing fishes, of which there are many 

 kinds in Burma, the local fishermeu ate in the habit 

 of removing the water from a tank, and covering the 

 mud witli a cloth for two or three days. At the end 

 of this period the fish have become half suffocated, 

 and their capture at and near the surface of the 

 mud is a matter of the greatest ease. Another fav- 

 ourite practice is the use of narcotic plants to stupefy 

 the fish. AV'ith this object a c??/-f/(*-,vac is formed, into 

 which the fish pa'^s, the mouth being closed by a 

 netting of bamboo. AVhen surrounded, the fisli are 

 narcotised. For this purpose a herb called einbizat 

 (ISpilauthes paniculata) is commonly used ; also a bark 

 named guu (unknown to botanists). AVhcn the fish 

 within the iuelosure have all been taken, the netting 

 is removed, and a new supply allowed to enter. The 

 process of stupefying is repeated at intervals of five 

 or six days. Small fish caught in nets are thrown 

 into boats and kept alive by frequent changes of water 

 till the market is reached ; large ones are strung by 

 the gills or lips, and towed ta market. 



In the moist heat of the Burmese climate, fish be- 

 comes tainted very soon after removal from the water. 

 The necessity for utilising the vast quantity* of food 

 which woidd otherwise be sacrificed from this cause 

 has given rise to a peculiar method of preserving fi^h, 

 for which the country is lemarkable. The prepar- 

 ation is termed ngapee, and is alluded to in empLatic 

 language by every traveller wlio has encountered it. 

 There are sevei'al kinds, deserving of separate dc- 

 acription. 



1. Ngapee-goung, or "whole ngapee" — so called 

 because the fish is prepared in the whole state — is 

 eaten fried, roasted, or in curries. As a rule, little 

 regard is poid to the kind of fish selected, but the 

 ngagoo (Olarias magur) and ugakye (CalHchrous sp.) 

 are undoubtedly superior, The heads, fius, tails, and 

 entrails are removed as well as the scales. The last- 

 named process is effected by hand when the fish are 

 large ; when small, a number of them are tossed into 

 a wooden mortar almost before they are dead, and 

 a bamboo, fiaycd into a kind of brush ' at one end, 

 is worked among them. Next they are all well rub- 

 bed with salt and packed in bamboo baskets, where 

 they remain to drain under weights during a night. 

 On the morrow they are released, again ruitbetl with 

 salt, and spread on a mat exposed to the sun. After 

 lying for a night, t-hey are ^Ited down in alternate 

 layers (one of fish and one of salt) in jars, and stored 

 away in a cool place. In course of time a saline 

 liquor collects on the surface of the jars, and under- 

 goes evaporation, by which a layer of salt is left 

 covering the contents. This occupies about a mouth, 

 by which time the article is ready for sale. Sliould 

 the supernatant liquor become infested by maggots 

 before desiccation is complete, it is drawn off, and 

 more salt is applied. The brand made at and near 

 Bhooragyee, in the Angyee township of the Rangoon 



district, is said to be esteemed all over Burma. 



2. A modification of the foregoing kind is that termed 

 ugathaloukuagapee, from the fact that the ngathalpuk 

 or hilsa (Clupea ilisha) is exculsively used in its pre- 

 paration. Each fish, having been disembowelled, but 

 not deprived of scales, head, tail, or fiiis, is rubbed 

 with salt, and exposed to the sim for a day; then a 

 number of the salted fish are packed in a mat-fioored 

 bhed, covereil with matting, and pressed by adding 

 weights during three days, when the curing is com- 

 plolc. Bluch care is taken in the handing. 



3. Small fish, especially Sluroids (being scaleless), 

 as well as bhrimps, are chosen for the manufacture 

 of toungtha-ugapee or dhameng. These, in an un- 

 cleaned state and without salt, are spread on mats 

 in the sun for two days, by which time decomposi- 

 tion has made some progress. Next they are pounded 

 with salt in wooden mortars, and finally placed in 

 heaps uiulcr a roof. Hollow sections of bamboo are 



giixck iuto the bcapb to afford means of ebcapu for 



a saline fishy liquor called nganpyare, which is col- 

 lected in jars for sale as a flavouring for curries. 

 The solid ngapee or fish piste is dug out when ripe, 

 and forms a highly odoriferous appetiser universally 

 eaten with boiled rice. 



4. Another kind, in which shrimps only are admitted, 

 is a'l eipiivalent for the balachong of the Straits 

 Settlements, termed ngapee-kgnyeng in Aracan, gwai 

 in Tamoy and M»^rgui and tsientsa or ** raw-eaten " 

 (because edible in an uncooked state), in Kangoon. 

 Both brt)wn and red shrimps are used in its composi- 

 tion. Small ones are exposed to the sun's rays im- 

 mediateiv (usually) they are caught; when half dry, 

 salt is added, and the mass is intimately kneaded by 

 hand thrice dailj- for three days, with iutervals of 

 sunning, till it foi'ms a paste, when it is potted for 

 use. The treatment of large ones differs only in 

 pounding being substituted for the kneading, and that 

 taking place but once a day. More pronounucd 

 odour and flavour ai-e secured by postponing the sun- 

 drying process. If this is delayed a .sliort time after 

 the shrimps are caught, the product is ternietl rekpyaii- 

 ngapee; if a day elapses before the drying commen- 

 ces, the result will be rekoopugapee. 



5. The variety known as kek-ugapee, made only for 

 export to Kangoou and Maidmain, con.sists of large 

 shrimps packed in baskets and subjected to prtissure 

 for twenty-four hours, then sun-dried for a day, fin- 

 ally pounded with salt, and repacked and pres.sed. 

 These several 'forms of preserved fish are the mpst 

 distinctive article of the Burmese dietary. The chief 

 domestic animals are buffaloes and cattle, used for 

 draught purposes; goats, preferred to sheep, as giving 

 more milk; and jioultry. The only maminal forming 

 an object of the chase is an animal about the size 

 of a small dog. called h:imney, or tlutmney, whose 

 fur is very close and long, and highly esteemed. 

 This creature lives in the mountains and is very 

 difficult to capture. Several wild game birds are 

 sought for diligently and esteemed on the table. These 

 iuclude jungle fowls and pheasants of moi*e kinds than 

 one, aiui a species of water-rail (Rallus indicus), called 

 yaychik or yakyeet. The Kakhyens are expert at 

 trapping forest fowl. One ingenious plan consists in 

 building in a miniature fence with openings holding 

 concealed snares, a dense clump of bamboo behig 

 selected for the purpose. The fence is composed of 

 stems of tall jungle grass, and the snares take the 

 form of a pliable barabuo firmlj- jilanted in the ground, 

 with a running noose attached to the free end, wUich 

 is lient down and secured only just lightly enough 

 to prevent it springmg up of itself. The birds seek to 

 leave the cover by the openings, and thus ensnare 

 themselves. 



Another effective snare,- adapted for small birds, is 

 generally planted against the roadside edge of a patch 

 of jungle. It consists of a wooden perch attache. 1 to 

 a long bamboo and smeared with the juice of a local 

 .species of ivy, representing our owu birdlime. Conls 

 are stretched across the prongs of the perch, baited 

 with winged ants, so fastened as not to impede the 

 use of their wings, the continual flutter of which 

 serves to attract the birds, who alight on the limed 

 perches in order to feast on the insects, and are un- 

 able to escape. 



Tin; ilesli of the python is much esteemed by the 

 Karens for fond, and the gall bladder for medicine. 

 All lizards of the Varanidie family are highly valued 

 for food, and sought for in hollow trees by tho aid 

 of dogs. The Karens steal up the trees With a noose 

 at the end of a bamboo, and snare them while leap- 

 ing for the water, or catch them in a boat beneatli 

 the tree. The head is deemed venomous ; but the 

 flesh of the other parts is preferred to fowls. If not 

 needed for immediate consumption, the captive is 

 rendered lu^lpless by breaking some of the t^es, and 

 knotting the sinews. The eggs are equally estt-emed. 

 The padat (Lioli-pis guttatusj is herbivorous, and in 

 high favour as a viand. The flesh of tho niijyoung 

 (Urocodilus porosus), which is very common and re:\chcs 

 yu ft. in length, is in great request for fooil. A kind 

 of turtle (Morcuia oceiiata) during tho inimdatloa 



