234 THE FISHERMAN'S REWARD. 



mouth, suspended by the framework which keeps it open 

 to a cord, and ballasted by a stone or lump of lead. 

 Across the opening is carried a line, baited with fragments 

 of crabs or heads of sardines. 



Provided with four or five of these rets, and with a 

 coarse canvas bag slung round his neck, the fisherman 

 starts after sunset or better still, after nightfall on a 

 shrimping expedition. On arriving at a favourable spot, 

 where the rocky shore is hollowed out in a labyrinth of 

 beautiful weedy pools, each one a little world of strange 

 and wonderful life, replete with graceful forms, and illu- 

 minated with glowing colours, he sinks his rets at certain 

 intervals ; allows them to lie untouched for some five or 

 ten minutes, and then proceeds to capture the crustacean 

 prowlers attracted to them by the bait. In this operation 

 he is guided by the dexterity and knowledge which spring 

 from practice. Much care is required in lifting each 

 particular net, or it might be made to disgorge its prisoners 

 too soon. But the experienced fisher raises them with- 

 out difficulty, and gropes in the interior for his prey, 

 which he transfers to his capacious bag, lining it with 

 sea- weed to keep them alive. 



Having filled his bag, or the tide having ebbed, he 

 wends his way homeward, and prepares his shrimps for 

 delivery to the wholesale dealers. Over a lively fire he 

 places an iron pot, filled with fresh water, and as soon as 

 the water boils, pours in his stock of fish, adding about 

 one pound of salt for every nine pounds of shrimps. After 

 they have boiled for five minutes, he takes them out, 

 spreads them on a table, and sprinkles them with salt 

 water. This process deepens the beautiful rose-red tint 

 which is so much admired by connoisseurs. 



