274 BIRD-HUNTING 



channels was stopped by a fish-trap barring the whole 

 width of the stream, necessitating a ' portage ' round 

 the obstruction. This was an arduous undertaking, 

 requiring all hands, as the boat was a large one. 

 These fish-traps are ingenious arrangements made 

 of reed-stems in intricate designs, so that the fish 

 can enter, but are unable to escape again. Generally 

 a man or two would be living there in a conical hut 

 of reeds — a most forlorn, miserable existence, de- 

 voured by mosquitoes and leeches. One poor old 

 fellow, over seventy years old in appearance, we 

 found alone in a most pestiferous spot, many miles 

 from anywhere. He was too feeble even to pretend 

 to assist us, and too apathetic to do more than look 

 up at us as we passed his lonely abode. The air 

 was perfectly thick with mosquitoes, which fell to 

 with greedy haste at the sight of fresh blood, and 

 while we were busy with the boat they punished us 

 most severely. They must have exhausted the veins 

 of the old fisherman long ago. I wouldn't have 

 spent the night there without a mosquito-net for ten 

 pounds. For some reason the sight of the place, and 

 the old man laboriously catching fish, gave me the 

 horrors, such an impression it made on my mind of 

 unutterable loneliness and desolation. 



As soon as we reached open water all sail was 

 set, and we simply tore through the water before 

 the strong wind. Razelm is perhaps ten miles 



