88 REPORT OP NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1884. 



A full-sized catamaran (13 feet long and 3 feet wide), such as is used 

 for fisbing in the Presidency of Madras, is another very interesting ad- 

 dition to the collection of primitive types of water craft. Eudely con- 

 structed of logs, and apparently as illy adapted as anything well oan be 

 for encountering rough water, craft of this kind are nevertheless said to 

 be very serviceable for crossing a heavy surf, and it is stated that they 

 will make a landing in breakers which would prove the destruction of 

 any ordinary boat that should dare to make a similar attempt. It is 

 said that these rafts rise lightly over an ordinary siirf, but if caught by 

 a great breaker are overwhelmed and knocked about. At such times 

 the natives, who are semi-amphibious iii their habits, will leap over- 

 board, and after their vessel has passed the surf they will clamber on 

 to her again, and go on as if nothing had happened. 



Among the models of East Indian boats there is a verj-^ remarkable 

 one of a fishing craft used at Chittagong, in the Presidency of Bengal. 

 This is a long and narrow dugout canoe with scoop-shaped, narrow, 

 square ends. Its special peculiarity consists in an arrangement for 

 catching fish automatically. On one side of the boat is a broad bamboo 

 platform, fixed to the gunwale in such a manner that it projects out 

 into the water, and to this is attached a string of palm leaves something 

 in the form of a broom. This strange device, when slightly agitated 

 by the motion of the boat, has the effect of frightening any fish that 

 may be near and which immediately 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 fish- 

 erman sits on the gunwale with one foot in the water and heels the 

 craft to the i^roper angle, or gives it the requisite motion for frightening 

 the fish. To prevent the fish from leaping over the other side of the 

 boat, and thus regaining their liberty, a net is fixed obliquely or ver- 

 tically along the opposite gunwale, and serves as an effectual barrier to 

 their escape. 



The most interesting model, perhaps, which has been received in this 

 collection of Indian water craft, is that of the Bombay fishing boat 

 known as the "machva" in the region where it is used. No boat in 

 the world is more distinctive in type than this, and there are, perhaps, 

 few others which would sooner attract the attention of those who are 

 familiar with vessels. In the shape of its bottom the "machva" differs 

 from all other boats, and the peculiar form of its keel is seemingly at 

 variance with all of the recognized rules of naval architecture. The keel 

 curves upwards in the center in an arch-like shape, and is deepest at 

 the bow, where it forms nearly a right angle with the straight raking 

 stem; it also drops down aft considerably. This boat, which is carvel 

 built, of teak, has a l^ng, sharp, scoop-shaped bow, resembling in its 

 form the forward section of an Arab dhow. The deep projecting keel 

 serves the same purpose as a double center-board for providing the 

 requisite lateral resistance when the boat is sailing close hauled. The 



