ON THE CAKP-PONDS OF NETHER LUSATIA. 673 



Abioachsfeich coutaias all the ijonds the greatest water-surface, and 

 ouly 25-40 carps per Morgeu (two-thirds of an acre) are admitted, to 

 which one-tweutieth of other fishes are added. In this pond the pike 

 plays its principal part. It is, as is generally known, the factotum of the 

 carp-pond. Even if it is legendary that the pike forces the lazy carps 

 to locomotion, so as to give them better appetite, yet it is indispensable 

 for the destruction of wild fishes, &c. 



As nearly all creatures have to endure the severest diseases in their 

 youth, so also the carp has to overcome its greatest dangers up to the 

 day it is admitted to the Abwachsteich. Here external enemies are rarely 

 dangerous, though otter and sea-eagle claim their victims; yet fishes of 

 prey do not injure it, and swan, ice-bird, ducks and divers, frogs and 

 toads are ouly dangerous to the spawn and fry. 



Diseases, too, occur mostly with young carps only; polypes render 

 the fish unfit for its full development ; tape-worms constrict its intes- 

 tines, make it lean, and finally kill it ; lice torment it, and produce 

 dropsy. But the water itself may become noxious: its inlet and outlet 

 must be accurately regulated ; a ditch carrying bad water to the pond, 

 its sudden rising after a thunderstorm, a lightning-stroke, &c., have 

 often done considerable damage to the breed. 



Yet nov/ the autumn day has come on which the capture of the mar- 

 ketable carp begins, and we go to the Tevfelsteich near Peitz, the largest 

 of the estate. Three weeks before this day the outflow from this pond 

 commenced. All the time the greatest quiet has to reign at the places 

 deepened for the catching, because otherwise the carps, sensitive to 

 sound and timid, would not descend the deep ditches leading to the 

 places of capture, which would render the operation slow and more 

 difficult. 



On the day of the fishing itself the drivers begin to wade along the 

 ditches with loud noise, until the fishes are collected at the place of 

 capture, which has an extent of about one Morgen. Then the ditches 

 are closed with (stell) nets and the catching begins. Two Watnetze^ 

 handled by three fishermen, yield about 100 hundred-weight at every 

 draw. The fishes are carried to the scale and spread upon platforms. 

 Pikes, Karamchen, Schleien, are picked out, and the small Barsche 

 (perches?) used for manuring fields and meadows. 



Four practiced hands throw the carps from the platforms upon the 

 scale, and when it indicates one hundred-weight the fishes are rapidly 

 transferred to a hogshead standing upon a wagon ; three filled hogs- 

 heads make a load. In sharpest trot the horses hasten to the Rammer- 

 (jrahen (hammer-ditch), where the fishes are loaded into Drohel. Drohel 

 are perforated covered boats, the surface of which is even with that of 

 the water ; they contain, on an average, 25 hundred-weight, and are 

 shipped by hardy sailors to the Schicielochsee. There the fishes are 

 transferred into larger Brobels, containing about 100 hundred-weight ; 

 lu tow of freight- boats they reach Berlin in about one week ; Hamburg, 

 43 F 



