222 The Seetul, Batchwa and Others. CHAP. xv. 



For the smoking process procure a sufficient quantity of shavings, scraped 

 off with a knife, from the sugarcane, the shavings to be wetted and put 

 on top of lighted charcoal, the fish on a grating (iron) about two inches 

 above the fire, and covered over with a degchie lid, or other contrivance 

 to prevent the exit of the smoke as much as possible. Smoke for about 

 one hour or until the colour of the fish is similar to that of the well-known 

 ' dried sprat,' or a lightly browned 'red herring.' When required for 

 table fry lightly in butter." 



The Batchwa. 



The Batchwa is too sporting a fish to be omitted for the insufficient 

 reason' that my own personal knowledge of him is but small, for my 

 friends allow me to supplement my knowledge with theirs. He is also 

 excellent eating. 



At Narora in April, I took the Batchwa (Pseudeufropins garud) 

 promiscuously with the Cherki (P. murius), and they are so alike that 

 many, I am told, do not distinguish between them. The river was 

 swarming with the little freshwater mullet, Mugil cascasia, mentioned 

 above, and so it was natural to use it as a bait. The largest of these 

 mullets did not exceed 4 inches in length, and I preferred one of 3^ 

 inches for bait. I found it best to spin near the surface, using no 

 sinker. But my friends aforesaid, who are good authorities, Mr. Cyril 

 Kirkpatrick and Mr. H. S. Dunsford, told me that Batchwa fishing 

 differed with the season. In April they ran up to i|-lb., but in May 

 were in larger numbers at the Narora and Okhla anicuts, the bigger 

 ones being in mid-stream, the smaller ones in the eddies, the smaller 

 ones then taking a fly the size of a lake trout fly or bigger, say No. 9 

 to No. 4 Limerick, the bigger for choice, or a very small fish or spoon. 

 So freely do the smaller ones take the fly that on a cast of three it is 

 not unusual to take one on each fly. There is a curious consensus of 

 opinion in favour of the bigger hook on the ground of giving a better 

 hookhold, the Batchwa often getting off the smaller hooks. The 

 recognised colours of the flies are orange and black. 



Batchwa are said to show sport from the i5th or end of March, 

 though an odd few may be caught even in February, till at least the 

 beginning of November, April and May being the best months, and 

 possibly they may take after November, but deponent cannot say. 

 They take in coloured snow-water, when Mahseer will not. On the 



