CXCV1 



of taking the lives of the lower animals, but being exceedingly partial 

 to a fish diet, they console their consciences, whilst indulging in it, with 

 the idea that the deaths of thefee creatures will be laid in a future state 

 to the fault of the fishermen by whom they were captured. Even their 

 " Poongees " or priests who eat fish, adorn the approaches to their temples 

 with illustrations, showing what will be the award to fishermen in eternity. 

 In some of these interesting representations are large fires being stirred 

 up by devils, whilst other demons or " Beloos " are dragging one or more 

 fishermen in a net towards these roaring furnaces, helping each on by 

 means of striking fish-spears into them from behind, and hauling them 

 forwards by hooks and lines towards the place of punishment. 



367. In districts where large rivers exist, the Burmese are from 



necessity boatmen and of choice fishermen. 



Burmese generally boatmen Thig hag an important bearing upon the 

 and fishermen. . 



fisheries, as the capture ot the tinny tribes 



is not in the hands of a certain limited class of people. 



368. As to the proportion of the general population who eat fish, it 



Burma are a fish-eattog race. ma - V * Concluded that all do ' SO, as the 



exceptions are too trivial to be worth noticing. 



369. How are the local markets supplied with fish ? It is unfortunate 



that the answers sent in in 1869, or replies 

 SUP " to the q uestion circulated last year, have, in 



the majority of instances, not been forwarded, 

 BO only general replies are available for examination. It would appear 

 that, as a rule, they are well supplied, but in the Amherst District, they are 

 stated to be insufficiently so. Out of ten returns, three assert the markets 

 to be fully supplied, one fairly so, and in six insufficiently so, but some of 

 these localities are near the sea-coast, and the supply partly depends on 

 the tides. 



370. Have the fish increased, decreased, or remained stationary ? 



.-".', This question is responded to by only ten 



Amount of fish m the waters , a* i 



decreasing. native officials, five of whom assert that the 



amount in the waters remains stationary, 



whilst the other five report a decrease. When in Burma, the impression 

 prevailed at Prome that fish were decreasing. At Henzada, the fisher- 

 men held the same opinion, and considered the decrease due to the small 

 meshed nets which were being used. Around Pegu they were also 

 asserted to be diminishing ; the same is now reported from Shwegyen 

 and Amherst. 



371. As to whose the fisheries are ? As a rule, they appear to have 



p . , - n always been Royalties in Lower Burma, as 



Fisheries Government pro- ^ J . . n %i ^ T . cu. 



perty. they still are in the Native State, and may 



be considered Government property, although 



certain private or communal rights may co-exist. Rules were framed 

 by a former Chief Commissioner, in order that the renting system might 

 cause the least possible amount of hardship to the people, so the general 

 public were permitted to take whatever fish they pleased anywhere for 

 home consumption, but not for sale ; only the lessee could sell fish. Be- 

 sides this, certain localities were set aside as free fisheries, and, so far as 1 

 could ascertain, any one might now use fixed traps (except in certain 

 leased localities) free of tax. This I believe to be the origin of the 



