382 THE WILD-FOWLER. 



front of the boat, the sides and back regions being" kept in obscurity 

 by the same means. 



The boat manned and equipped in this manner, the fowlers proceed 

 on their midnight excursion to waters frequented by wild-fowl. The 

 foremost occupant of the boat who stands at the prow has by far the 

 most exciting and interesting part to perform. He is provided with a 

 hand-net of special construction, attached or suspended to two canes 

 of stolid substance and about twelve or fourteen feet in length. 



The effect of the glare of light from the fowler's apparatus, com- 

 bined with the noise of the gong, appears to have such a remarkable 

 influence upon the birds that they remain motionless upon the surface, 

 as if rendered powerless by the commotion and apparition. The man 

 at the stern, meanwhile, propels the boat stealthily along, whilst the 

 fowler at the prow stands, with net in hand, keeping a keen look-out 

 for the wild-fowl, and skilfully pops the net over them as they sit 

 upon the water ; then by suddenly twisting it and holding up the 

 canes the instant he finds the bird struggling, it falls into the bag of 

 the net, from which it cannot escape : the fowler then takes the captive 

 into the boat. Two or three are sometimes taken in the net at once. 

 The splashing noise occasioned by their struggles generally disturbs 

 other wild-fowl which may be near, causing them to take wing ; they 

 then fly round about the fowlers, in an apparently bewildered 

 manner, making first towards the light, and sometimes dashing 

 themselves, in their fright, both against the men and the boat ; 

 such as approach so near are frequently knocked down with a staff, 

 or taken with the hand.* Those which are taken in the net the 

 fowler removes ; these he does not kill at once, but simply twists 

 their wings one in the other ; and after turning their legs over their 

 backs, throws them into a basket or upon the floor of the canoe, the 

 whole proceeding occupying but a few seconds. Killing the fowl so 

 captured is quite another operation, and has to be performed by 

 cutting their throats in a very orthodox manner, with their heads 

 towards Mecca, or they would not be proper food for a strict Mussul- 

 man, f 



Coots, as well as widgeon, and some other species of wild-fowl, are 



* A somewhat similar method of capturing wild-fowl appears to have been 

 employed by the ancient Egyptians ; but the precise method of operation is not 

 clearly defined. Vide Champollion-le-Jeune, Monuments de 1'Egypte, vol. iv., 

 planciie CCCCX. 



} Holmes. 



