CXCVl 



of tnking the lives of the lower animals, but being exceedingly partial 

 to a fish diet, they console their consciences, whilst indulging in it, with 

 the idea that the deaths of these creatures will be laid in a future state 

 to the fault of the fishermen by whom they were captured. Even their 

 " Poongees" or priests who eat fish, adorn the approaches to their temples 

 with illustrations, showing what will be the award to fishermen in eternity. 

 In some of these interesting representations are large fires being stirred 

 up by devils, whilst other demons or " Beloos " are dragging one or more 

 fishermen in a net towards these roaring furnaces, helping each on by 

 means of striking fish-spears into them from behind, and hauling them 

 forwards by hoolis and lines towards the place of punishment. 



367. In districts where large rivers exist, the Burmese are from 



necessity boatmen and of choice fishermen. 

 Burmese generally boatmen rjij^jg ^ ^^ important bearing upon the 



and flsheimeu. .. i ■ ii ^ i- i.i i- i i 



tisnenes, as the capture oi the imny tribes 

 is not in the hands of a certain limited class of people. 



368. As to the profioiiion of the general population toko eat fish, it 



„ ~ . .. may be concluded that all do so, as the 



Burmaiis are a fisn-oatiug race. •' . , , • . • , , ,i i- • 



exceptions are too trivial to be wortli noticing. 



369. IIoio are the local markets supplied with fish ? It is unfortunate 



that the answers sent in in 1869, or replies 

 Local .mukets generally sup- ^^ ^j ( ggtiou circulated last year, have, in 



phcd with hsh. • •. c • i. l\ e i 1 



the majority ot instances, not been torwarded, 

 so only general replies are available for examination. It would appear 

 that, as a rule, they are well sujjplied, but in the Amherst District, tiiey are 

 stated to be insufficiently so. Out of ten returns, three assert the markets 

 to be fully supplied, one fairly so, and in six insufliciently so, but some of 

 these localities are near the sea-coast, and the supply partly depends on 

 the tides. 



370. Rave the fish increased, decreased, or remained stationari/ ? 



. „ , . , This question is responded to by only ten 



Amount of fish lu the waters ,• n- • i e !■ i i. ii ^ it 



decreasiui'. native olhcials, hve ot whom assert tliat the 



amount in the waters remains stationary, 

 whilst the other five report a decrease. When in Burma, the impression 

 prevailed at Prome that fish were decreasing. At Henzada, tiie fisher- 

 men held the same o])inion, and considered the decrease due to the small 

 meshed nets which were being used. Around Pegu they were also 

 asserted to be diminishing ; the same is now reported from Shwegyeii 

 and Amherst. 



371. As to whose the fisheries are ? As a rule, they appear to have 



„. , . ^ always been Royalties in Lower Burma, as 



Fisheries Goveniment pro- ., '' .■^^ ■ ■',•. -xt i- ct ^ j 



party. they still are in the iMative btate, and may 



be considered Government property, although 

 certain private or commuuai rights may co-exist. Rules were framed 

 by a former Chief Commissioner, in order that the renting system might 

 cause the least possible amount of hardship to the people, so the general 

 public were permitted to take whatever fish they pleased anywhere for 

 home consumption, but not for sale ; only the lessee could sell fish. Be- 

 sides this, certain localities were set aside as free fisheries, and, so far as 1 

 could ascertain, any one might now use fixed traps (except in certain 

 leased localities) free of tax. This 1 believe to be the origiu of the. 



