CORMORANT-FISHING. 387 



extraordinary docility and discipline which these birds are 

 brought to by their masters ; in fact, without ocular demon- 

 stration, it is almost incredible how much their actions 

 approach to those of creatures endowed with reason. 



A small boat appears, punted by one individual, around 

 the sides of which, and at equal distances, are perched a 

 quantity of cormorants of different colours and sizes. Around 

 the lower part of the neck of each bird is tied a ligament 

 just sufficiently tight to prevent his swallowing any large 

 substance. The master carries a light pole in his hand, with 

 which he gently touches those birds whose services are to be 

 put into requisition, and who upon receiving the hint, im- 

 mediately dive headforemost into the water, the others re- 

 maining in their usual position. A very long period some- 

 times elapses before they make their reappearance on the sur- 

 face and regain the boat, with or without a fish in their 

 mouths. In the former case, the boatman gently jerks it 

 out of the gullet of the cormorant into a tub that stands in 

 readiness. The birds resume their places on the sides of the 

 shallop, and fresh ones are ordered on the same duty, and so 

 on in rotation, until the fisherman has obtained a supply equal 

 to his expectations, or the poor ministers of his will are 

 completely fatigued, and incapable for the time of farther 

 exertion. Devices for entrapping the finny tribe are quite 

 as various and ingenious, if not more so, than in Europe ; 

 and it is really astonishing to me how in quiet and enclosed 

 waters any fish can escape, except that the vast breeding 

 resources of their lakes and rivers must afford them a great 

 and continual supply. I never witnessed any angling with 

 a rod and line; John Chinaman preferring, I should imagine, 

 a more wholesale method of proceeding. 



Whilst relating the various piscatory experiments I saw 

 practised during our trip, I must not omit the throwing of 

 a casting-net, describing a circumference of at least sixty 



c c 2 



