CATALOGUE OF THE WATERCKAFT COLLECTIOlsr. 271 



ship section both vertically and horizontally, ending in a long 



pointed bow and stern, both somewhat higher than the middle. As 



it sits in the water not much more than half its length is submerged. 



It is propelled with two oars when engaged in fishing and steered 



with a long sweep shaped like an English made oar. No sails are 



used. 



Gift of Surg. Gen. Francis Day. Cat. No. 160,320 U.S.N.M. 



Jessor " donga." 



A peculiar type of dugout constructed from the stem of the tar 

 palm tree and used by the native fishermen of Jessor, Bengal Presi- 

 dency, India. 



This dugout is formed by excavating the soft portion of the palm 

 stem and leaving only the outer layer, except at the smaller end 

 where a narrow space has been left to prevent the water from 

 entering. Its shape resembles that of a spoon with a deep bowl 

 and a handle, concaved on one side and convex on the other. This 

 form is due to the peculiar growth of the stem of the palm tree, 

 which swells out into a rounded, bulb-like form at one end. "The 

 broadly expanding base of the stem forms the prow or fore part 

 of the canoe, and has a diameter of 2 feet 4 inches, while the narrow 

 posterior portion is not more than 11 inches broad, the total length 

 of this rude boat being 12 feet 10 inches." ^^ 

 Gift of Surg. Gen. Francis Day. Cat. No. 160,318 U.S.N.M. 



Model of Bengal fishing boat. 



This peculiar type of dugout fishing canoe is employed at Chitta- 

 gong, in the Bengal Presidency, India, as a sort of automatic fishing 

 device, for which purpose it is specially equipped. It is a rough 

 dugout, with round keelless bottom, cambered strongly at ends and 

 tapering to narrow V-shaped bow and stern; fitted with a bamboo 

 platform on one side, and net on the opposite side; ballasted with 

 cement at one end. 



Dimensions of ca^ioe.— Length, 22 feet 2 inches; beam, 3 feet 3 

 inches ; height, in center, 2 feet 2 inches. Fishing boats of this kind 

 are generally 24 feet in length. Scale of model, 3 inches equal 1 foot. 



When fishing, the boat is heeled so that the bamboo platform, 

 which is fixed on its upper edge, projects into the water, and a string 

 of palm leaves is attached to it in the form of a broom. This device has 

 the effect of frightening the fish, which jump upon the half submerged 

 bamboo platform, and thence into the boat, where they fall among 

 the branches of trees, with which the canoe's bottom is strewn. The 

 fisherman sits on the gunwale with one foot in the water to careen 

 the canoe to the proper angle and give it the requisite motion to 



IS Catalogue of Fishing Appliances from Bengal, 1SS3. 



