THE FISHERIES OF THE FAR EAST 



Bird Number 2 is beckoned ; affecting ceremony as 

 before ; but, when its head comes above water, its bill is 

 still empty and it looks hesitatingly towards the raft, 

 though not daring to approach it without leave. The 

 master shakes his head reproachfully and points down- 

 wards, and the bird dives resignedly. This time it is 

 down longer, yet once more comes up empty-mouthed ; 

 but the fisherman is inexorable and the cormorant is 

 bidden to dive a third time and a third time comes up 

 with nothing. Celestial patience cannot brook this; 

 clearly bird Number 2 is a duffer; the man beckons it 

 out of the water, spanks it soundly about the head, and 

 tosses it on to the deck, whence it waddles shamefacedly 

 away and takes a place of dishonour at the end of the 

 rank. 



Bird Number 3 obeys the call in a sprightly fashion 

 and dives the moment it is released, without any useless 

 preliminaries. It is down a whole minute or more. 

 Then, some thirty feet from the raft, the surface is seen 

 to bubble and ripple, and suddenly the little black head 

 rises above water; bird Number 3 has caught some kind 

 of salmon, over a foot long, and so heavy that every now 

 and then it drags the plucky head under again. The 

 fisherman mutters a cheering word and snaps his fingers 

 in the direction of bird Number 4, which is started off 

 in the usual manner. 4, however, does not dive; it 

 swims straight at 3 and, seizing the river-monster near 

 the tail, sets #'s mind and bill at rest ; and the industrious 

 pair paddle steadily for the raft, supporting the weight 

 between them. Even now there is a danger lest the fish 



184 



