29 



forms, which are mostly bottom feeders, while the surface- 

 frequenting forms would be able to resort to the warmer 

 surface water. The presence of patches of warm (blue) water 

 in the river is apparently due to some of this normal sea water 

 being cut off by the upwelling of the colder water along the 

 shore. It has been observed further that, to escape the cold 

 water, the shore forms come crowding into the lagoon, and seek 

 out the warmer and shallow waters. That this is of frequent 

 occurrence is shown by the fact that the fishermen find the 

 best catches in these places during the presence of the cold 

 water. The continuance of the cold inset would, of course, 

 thus lead to a still greater mortality in the lagoon and, a few 

 years ago, many fish were washed ashore dead and heaped 

 up in great numbers on the banks of the lagoon. 



The following notes on a case of extensive destruction of 

 fish at the " Kommetje," a small basin to the south of Hout 

 Bay, were taken at the time of the occurrence. " On Thurs- 

 day, 3rd May, 1905, a telegram was sent from Mr. Runciman, 

 M.L.A., Simon's Town, stating that great quantities of fish 

 were being found on the beach between Hout Bay and Slang- 

 kop. One of the fish found, a large Galjoen {Dipterodon 

 cape)isis), was forwarded at the same time. It showed no signs 

 of disease and was in excellent condition. On visiting the locality, 

 undoubted evidence was found that there had been extensive 

 mortality among the fish. The report of the occurrence had 

 reached neighbouring farms and villages, and the beach was 

 being diligently searched by coloured people for further 

 spoils. One farmer testified that he had seen some dead 

 though fresh fish on Tuesday night, others being alive and 

 floundering in the water in a dazed condition ; one large 

 Galjoen he caught with difiiculty swimming about in the 

 water. He stated that many more fish were found on the 

 following day, a few at a wreck but most on the " long beach " 

 near Klein Slangkop, a mile or so from the wreck. All the 

 witnesses were of opinion that the death of fish was due to the 

 escape of some injurious matter from this wreck. The ship 

 had come ashore immediately before the occurrence and was 

 laden with general merchandise, including dynamite, cyanide, 

 gun-cotton, soap, etc. All the dynamite was safely taken off, 

 and there had been no explosion, which might have accounted 

 for the dead fish. The beach in the neighbourhood of the 

 wreck was strewn to some extent with pieces of soap and 

 gun-cotton. One fisherman was certain that the injury to the 

 fish had been caused by their eating the soap, the effects of 

 which he alleged were to stupefy them temporarily. He said 

 he had found pieces of soap and gun-cotton inside the dead 



[C.P. 6-'i4.] 



