A CHINESE MODE OF FISHING. 195 



brii^ht, a sino^le fisherman starts on the river in this 

 craft, always shifting tlie board and ledge so that the 

 former will be on the far side of the boat from the 

 moon, while the latter is next it. The fish see the 

 moonbeams glancing off this white arrangement and, 

 why I can not say, jump at it, when they strike the 

 board and fall into the bottom of the boat. On two 

 occasions I examined the proceeds of John Chinaman's 

 catch, ^nd found it to be principally composed of 

 gray mullet, and a representative of the Perka fami- 

 ly. The Chinese, to all appearance, are a most stu- 

 pid-looking lot, still they are wonderfully cunning in 

 circumventing fish and game ; another instance of 

 which is their training cormorants to assist them in 

 takinoj fisk 



