CAEP-FISHERIES IN THE PEITZ LAKES. G77 



throwing great quautities of mud-like clouds in the air. Xo one could 

 tell that these are cari), for the dark, round backs, which in innumera- 

 ble places become visible amoug the seething mud and water, rather 

 resemble eels or similar tish. The whole spectacle, which is quiet in 

 the beginning, reminding one of the driving of a flock of geese or a 

 drove of sheep, gradually becomes quite exciting, especially toward the 

 end, where from G0,000 to 70,000 pounds of carps are crowded together 

 in a narrow space scarcely 20 paces square. Two simple nets are never- 

 theless sufficient to close up the two channels leading into the basin, 

 which now resembles a caldron full of boiling mud and water. In this 

 turmoil the pikes fare worst, for some of the carps, which, like tame 

 steers, seem in the last moment to remember that after all they i)ossess 

 considerable strength of muscle, are continually dealing powerful blows 

 with their tails, which the sensitive and cowardly pikes cannot stand 

 very well, so they endeavor as much as possible to crowd into a distant 

 corner. Now the fishing itself commences, and a number of men with 

 two drag-nets, each holding about 5,000 pounds of fish, slowly haul that 

 quantity on shore, llere everything is activity and bustle. Under an 

 open shed we see. a large pair of scales with a 100-pound weight. The 

 carps are uninterruptedly brought up from the pond in immense buckets, 

 each carried by two stout men, and throAvn on boards by the side of 

 the scales. With lightning-like rapidity, one fish after another is seized 

 by men standing there for the purpose, counting "one, two, three, 

 four * * * " until the scales are evenly balanced. Thiity-one to thirty- 

 three fish generally make the hundred pounds. The full scale is then 

 immediately seized by two men, while an empty one is being tilled, and 

 the fish are placed in large casks on one of the many wagons which 

 hold at a short distance. As soon as the three casks, which every 

 wagon holds, are filled, the wagon is rajjidly driven along the turnpike, 

 near which the whole transaction takes place, to the Hammer Canal, 

 distant about one kilometer (3,280.709 feet), where the fish are immedi- 

 ately placed in the holds of boats, which contain w^ater. Each of these 

 boats carries 2,500 pounds of fish. 



Thus the cari)s are within a few minutes transferred five times, with- 

 out having suffered in the least. Near the scales stands, in his rubber 

 overcoat, a note-book in his hand, Mr. Fritsche, from Frankfort-on- 

 the-Oder, a well known fish-dealer, called the "carp-king," and, with 

 Mr. Berger's agent, calmly notes down the number of fish to every hun- 

 dred pounds, while Mr. Berger himself is busy arranging things, giving 

 orders, and satisfying the many private buyers, male and female, young 

 and old, farmers and town-people, who have come with bags, sacks, and 

 baskets to buy single fish or small quantities up to 200 pounds. Mr. 

 Berger also attends to the iDickiug out of other fish, such as tench, pike, 

 perch, &c., which have been caught in the net. A large quantity of 

 still smaller fish, so-called "spoon-fish," because they have to be eaten 

 with a sx)Oon, are likewise brought u^) in these nets, many of them 



