2 
the finny tribe, an industry may be viewed as healthy, 
whether the supply be marketable and local, or whether— 
which is another consideration, and one more to the point 
as regards this Paper—local consumption or industrial de- 
mand, or both, does not equal the catch, and as a conse- 
quence the surplus has to be and can be profitably sent to 
more distant markets where disposal will readily. follow. 
In the latter case so much would naturally depend on the 
available means and effective conveniences of transport, 
especially as to the disposition of fresh fish, or the effec- 
tiveness of curing where climate and circumstances put 
beyond consideration the transit of fresh fish. As a rule, it 
may be said of the tropics, that fresh fish, to be enjoyed, 
must be consumed on the day of the catch. It does not 
always admit, indeed, of this—and the surplus captures, if 
energy prove sufficient for such an issue, are cured and sent 
to inland markets that offer. 
My remarks are meant to apply to the Gold Coast 
Colony, where the people may be described as a fish- 
eating population, and where caste prejudices do not exist. 
Fetish restrictions may be at times, but rarely, imposed on 
the catch or consumption of this article of diet, but charity 
begins at home even with the Fetishman—who is often a 
fisherman, and, when not, is the recipient of “dashes” from 
the sea in the shape of fish by the propitiators of the sea- 
god; thus he would not be so short-sighted as to impose 
any restrictions on so needful and essential a commodity, 
especially when he would know that, were he to do so, his 
power of imposing obedience might be jeopardised by 
seafarers. 
It may be as well to add here that sovereign water rights 
are at times exercised in Native States through the medium 
of a fetish—to wit—the “Adanve” over the Denham 
