THE CARIBBEAN AREA 



Spears and arrows i — Spears and bow and arrow are used mainly in lagoons and fresh 

 water and most usually by Indian fishermen. The spears are light and have barbed heads. 

 The staff is often 8 or 9 feet in length and the barb, about 5 inches in length, is made 

 of steel, usually frcm an old file. Spear points may also be made of pointed and barbed 

 pieces of bamboo. Usually a cord about 50 feet in length is attached to ttie point, irtiile 

 the other end is woxrnd around a long reel of light wood, which acts as a buoy. The buoy 

 is stuck on the da.stal end of the pole. The spear or javelin is used for snook and 

 tarpon. In fishing, usually two men woric together. One sits in the bow and directs the 

 other, who is paddling, 'When within reach of a fish, about 60 feet distance, the man in 

 the bow stands up in the boat with the spear in his right hand. He aims and throws at a 

 single fish, which he may be unable to see through the water. The only thing visible is 

 the fish's "wake"j that is, the ripple produced on the surface of the water as it swims 

 along. By the ripple, the Indian can guess the species of fish, as well as the depth of 

 the fish under the water. The spear is thrown so that it hits the water almost vertical- 

 ly. Upon striking the fish, the cord unwinds} the harpoon head and buoy become detached 

 from the pole but are connected together by a cord. The buoy acts as a float and by this 

 means the fish is retrieved. Spearing of fish also is carried on by torchlight at night. 



Turtles are speared in a slightly different way. Here, no buoy is used. The har- 

 poon line is about 30 fathcsns long and attached to the boat. The harpoon pole is of palm 

 wood, 2 to 3 inches thick at the butt and tapering down to a point at the other end. The 

 harpoon end is kncnm as a "peg" and is triangular in section with a single barb at each 

 one of the lateral edges. It is only 1 1/2 to 2 inches long because it is designed to 

 pierce only the carapace or shell of the turtle in order not to kill the animal by 

 penetrating its flesh. When a turtle is sighted, the harpoon is thrown in the air so as 

 to fall almost vertically onto the back of the turtle, Hhen the animal is struck, it 

 disappears in the water dragging the long line and the boat, but after a while, it be- 

 comes exhausted by the struggle. Ihe boat is then swamped and placed under the turtle to 

 haul it in. By rocking the canoe back and forth enough water is removed in order to float 

 it and the turtle. The remainder of the water is bsiiled out. The harpoon head is extract- 

 ed and the hole plugged up with a piece of cloth — otherwise the turtle might die. 



Bows and arrows are used chiefly in the lagoons and rivers. The fishermen, sitting 

 by the bank of a stream or in a boat will whistle in a low plaintive tone for hours be- 

 lieving that this will entice the fish. The point of the arrow is held but a short dis- 

 tance from the water. 'When a fish approaches, the arrow is shot. Since the arrow acts 

 as a float, it bobs to the surface with the inhaled fish. 



Dynamite sind Toxic Substances ; — Dynamite is used rather extensively even though it 

 is prohibited by law in practically every country. Besides being dangerous to the 

 individual using it, it is a tremendously wasteful method. Most of the fish are not re- 

 trieved, and the ones that are retrieved are not of as good quality as those caught by 

 other means. Uany fishermen have lost arms and legs through accidents involving dyna- 

 mite. The use of this illegal method also stultifies the development of other means of 

 fishing . 



Practically all countries prohibit the use of toxic substances for fishing but in 

 spite of this, poisons are still used by the Indians in the fresh-water rivers and lakes. 

 For this purpose "barbasco" or other vines are crushed with flat stones or wooden clubs, 

 in order to release the poisonous milky juice. At a narrow part of the stream a weir or 

 fence is constinicted in the form of an angle with the point in the middle of the stream. 

 At some distance above this spot, the crushed plant is thrown in the water and the 

 poisonous juice spreads and stupifies all the fish in the neighborhood. The fish then 

 float downstream and are caught by the weir or fence. Larger fishes, which are not en- 

 tirely powerless, are harpooned. The smaller fishes are allowed to float downstream and 

 recover in the unpoisoned water. The juice of the barbasco is also poisonous to man but 

 it does not affect the wholesomeness of fish killed or stupified by it. 



AB 



