CHAPTER XXXI 



FISHING METHODS 



The relevance to fish and fishing of all the preceding matter, 

 except the last two sentences, may be challenged : a moment's 

 consideration, however, shows that it is apposite. 



The object of introducing these historical facts is to demon- 

 strate (i) the existence of an intercourse between Assyria and 

 Egypt for certainly fourteen hundred, possibly three thousand, 

 years, (2) to show cause for our astonishment at the absence 

 of the Rod from all Mesopotamian representation or records, 

 and at the non-adoption of a weapon which for centuries 

 found favour with the Egyptians. 



In my Jewish chapter I comment at length on the absence 

 of any mention of or allusion to the Rod in Israelitish Uterature 

 and on the unconvincing reasons advanced for this absence. 

 Angling may have been unsuited to the Semitic temperament, 

 because it yielded less lucrative returns than the Net. 



Even if we grant that the ruling or only passion of this 

 temperament was for fishing " in plenty," why, we are driven 

 to ask, did both nations condescend to fishing with hand-lines, 

 which are not much more productive than the Rod ? If hand- 

 lining was prompted by some instinct of sport, why was 

 Angling, the higher development of this instinct, not also 

 reached ? 



Of the four implements of Fishing, the Spear, the Rod, 

 the Line and Hook, and the Net, the Assyrians seem to have 



^ " Fishing, fishing everywhere " is the key-note of the picture ; the 

 crab in the top left-hand corner is also well into his fish. The picture facing 

 p. 349 comes from the Assyrian sculptures in British Museum : in Mansell's col- 

 lection. No. 430. 



355 



