FISHERIES. I I 3 



1,500 square versts, or 30 geographical square miles, while the Cas- 

 pian Sea is at least 40 times this extent, or 36,000 square miles. 



The principal engines of fishing are the lines, without 

 bait, and the pocket nets, two kinds which are used to catch 9-10ths 

 of all the fish in Russia. It is needless to describe the pocket net, 

 as it is much the same as that used in other countries ; but I must 

 say something in regard to the line, because in our belief it is only 

 used in the Caspian, and Sea of Azov. This apparatus consists in a 

 line of 50 fathoms in length, to which are attached at the distance 

 of 10 or 12 inches lines with hooks at the end of different sizes 

 according to the fish for which they are used. They are placed in 

 the sea or rivers so that the hooks float at some distance from the 

 bed. These hooks are used without bait, and the fish are caught by 

 chance as they come in contact with the hooks. 



The lower part of the Oural and the adjacent sea belongs to the 

 Cossacks, 80,000 souls. They consider it the property of their 

 army, received from the Governmect for military services. The 

 fisheries, therefore, have fixed regulations, which are seldom altered. 

 Each man possesses certain rights to the fishery, according to his 

 military rank. The fishing is principally carried on in the winter, cold 

 being favourable to the transport of the fish. There are 16 fishing 

 stations, and the most systematic order is observed in their working. 

 Those fish which ascend the Oural in autumn in great quantities do 

 not return to the sea the same year, but remain to winter in the 

 river, if they are not disturbed. When the water begins to get 

 colder they seek the deep basins, called yatoves, where they pass the 

 winter under the ice, in a kind of dormant state. To en- 

 courage this peculiarity in the fish, the Cossacks have always not 

 only forbidden any fishing in summer, but take the utmost care that 

 they shall not be disturbed. No one is allowed to cross the rivers in 

 boats except in urgent need, horses and cattle may not water in the 

 river, and no one is allowed to shoot, and even lights in the windows 

 at night are forbidden. Steamboats have to stop at the mouths of 

 the rivers, and even in the coasting trade, which the Cossacks carry 

 on with Astrakan, the vessels were obliged to enter a harbour some 

 distance from the rivers mouth. Thus the Oural river is entirely 

 devoted to fishing. 



In some of the Cossack villages an old man is appointed as guar- 

 dian of the Oural. He must observe the fish closely in order to 

 discover the number in such and such a yatove. These men acquire 

 such experience that they not only can tell the different kinds of fish 

 but even their sex. 



There are two modes of catching the fish. In the lower part of 

 the Oural, the fishing begins in the month of of October, All who 

 are going to take part in the fishing assemble on the 1st in the vil- 

 lage of Antonooskaid, from which place they commence. They 

 number of the fishermen is 8,000, with 3,000 little boats. The 

 instruments used for this kind of fishing is a kind of bag-net, seven 



