622 ANOTHER MODE OF CATCHING FISH. 



the floats, buoyed up on the surface, thus form a complete 

 track. One party takes either end of the net, while the rest 

 beat the water with poles, in order to drive the turtles to- 

 wards the middle. As the beaters advance, numbers of little 

 snouts suddenly popping above the water show that all is 

 going on well. The beaters continue shouting and striking 

 the water with gTeat vigour. The ends of the nets are then 

 seized by numerous strong hands and dragged quickly forward, 

 forming a circle to inclose all the body. The canoes being 

 brought up, the turtles are thrown into them. Mr. Bates 

 describes having seen fully eighty turtles secured thus in 

 about twenty minutes. 



ANOTHER MODE OF CATCHING FISH. 



The natives on the banks of the northern rivers also em- 

 ploy a poisonous root for catching fish. It resembles a tur- 

 nip, with a small plant rising from it, and is called by them 

 cima. A decoction of it being made, it is mixed with ^:>oiled 

 maize ground into paste. The Indian and his family go forth 

 to the pool with a number of baskets to carry home their prey. 

 Besides the poison-paste, he supplies himself with some pellets 

 of paste free from it. On arriving at the pool or stream, he 

 throws a quantity of the latter into the water, which attracts 

 a variety of small fish from all quarters. He then begins to 

 throw in the poisoned bait, which is no sooner swallowed 

 than the fish begin to leap out of the water, and tumble about 

 in all sorts of ways, when they are easily caught by the chil- 

 dren, and thrown into their baskets, which in a short time 

 are filled. 



The Indians of the Orinoco also entrap fish in other 

 ways. When the waters begin to ebb at the end of the 



