WINGED FISHERFOLK 275 



Had it not been made into a curry that night, the 

 German Emperor would undoubtedly have sent it a 

 telegram and probably decorated it. The sight of 

 three men being repeatedly " scored off" by the bird 

 would have been most ludicrous, had one not known 

 that the poor creature was wounded and fighting for 

 its life. 



The little cormorant lives exclusively on fish, for 

 which it dives. It is most voracious. I have never 

 taken the trouble to count the number of fish put away 

 by a cormorant in the course of a meal. One observer 

 did, and saw the bird swallow 108 fish in the course of 

 an hour and a half. 



The heathen Chinee, with diabolical cuteness, makes 

 the cormorant fish for him. He puts a rubber ring 

 round the bird's neck, so that it cannot swallow its 

 prey. It is, therefore, obliged to disgorge its booty 

 into its master's basket. This is exploitation of labour 

 if you like. 



What a grand simile for the labour agitator ! Just as 

 a wicked Chinaman robs the poor cormorant of its 

 earnings, so does the abominable capitalist exploit the 

 working man. Therefore down with the bloated aristo- 

 cracy, and let the honest worker enjoy twelve hours' 

 play and twelve hours' sleep, and spend the remainder 

 of the day in manly toil ! 



But this is a digression. It is only fair both to the 

 cormorant and its master to say that the Chinaman now 

 and then allows the bird to eat a fish, just to keep it in 

 a good temper ! 



The meal over, the little cormorant betakes itself to 



