<'ii ait. xxn. Ttu People's Park. 281 



completion the nndertaking commenced by sir William Dcnison, 

 and forwarded by Lord Napier. 



In the People's Park at Madras is a most perfect system of 

 numerous ponds of all sizes, fed by pipe from the Ked Hill reser- 

 voir, and connected by slight overflow through long channels. 

 Similarly treated, with the connecting channels carefully guarded 

 by gratings, they afford opportunity for the most perfect breeding 

 System that COnld possibly he desired. Something was thought of 

 in this direction at <>ne time, but all sorts, wolves and lambs, tigers 

 and calves, as fish go, being turned in together indiscriminately, 

 with pelicans, swans, and such like birds by way of encourage- 

 ment, of course the results are as barren as might have been 

 easily anticipated. Those who have mainly benefited by the 

 arrangement have been the Freshwater Sharks. The ponds are so 

 many that one might be allotted to gold fish for ornamental and 

 sale purposes, others for native fishing for the smaller carps, which 

 they specially affect, and for bait, others for the larger non-pre- 

 daceous fish particularized above, one for Gourami alone, and the 

 large one at the end of the system for all sorts of fish, the larger 

 predaceous fish included. In that you might have Indian pike 

 fishing without injury to the fly fishing and bottom fishing in the 

 other ponds. The connecting channels, if protected from birds by a 

 little bamboo work or wire netting, would make excellent breeding 

 places for snails. From the Gourami pond or ponds, the whole 

 country might be supplied, not only the Presidency, but as far 

 north as they were found to flourish. With sign-boards attached it 

 would be easy to know what fish were in each pond, and thereby 

 how to assay them. Excellent fishing might thus be had for all 

 classes in the midst of the town of Madras, and a small fee for 

 fishing in certain ponds, a larger one in others, while others were 

 left free, would go far to remunerate outlay, and the fishing would 

 afford healthy amusement to the soldiers by whom the park is 



ely frequented, as well as the numerous " poor whites "and 

 East Indians who have little enough to solace their exile in India. 

 Amongst the natives, fishing is generally confined to the poorer 

 classes, who fish for their dinner or for sale, except in a native 



ment. where they not unfrequently take to it kindly enough. 



In these ponds very much greater results could be obtained 

 than in my Yallani pond above-mentioned. If my 2 lbs. of fry 



