23 
Natives object to travel by land at night, and there is no 
interior demand of such a nature as to make such an effort 
worthy of the trouble in a pecuniary sense. No grand 
central Billingsgates exist to which fish could be taken 
fresh, and be at once disposed of. There are, however, 
regular native appointed markets held on certain days of 
the month or week, where, with other articles, dried fish is 
taken for sale, whence it is for the most part procurable. 
Operations for the capture of the different forms of 
marine and fresh-water life are conducted from the sea 
beach and banks of inland waters, but as a rule by canoes, 
and effected by the following means which, with perhaps 
certain modifications, to meet tribal tastes or progress, 
apply, I am led to believe, generally to the Gulf of 
Guinea ; in fact, a look at the specimens of fish gear 
from other tropical parts might justify a more extended 
application. 
I may remark that the descriptions which follow refer 
more directly to the fishing gear of Lagos, of the Gold 
Coast Colony, miniature models and specimens of which I 
had collected, and have presented for show in the Royal 
International Fisheries Exhibition 1883 :— 
Fish-traps—called in Popo language “Aja,” and in Fantee 
“Inchabah ”—open baskets of split bamboo, secured by 
tie-tie, of circular form, with two entrances, one at 
either end, when double, or with one when single. 
Size varies, but usually made 6 feet long and 24 feet 
deep. 
These traps are generally placed at the end or approach 
of a fish passage, whether natural or artificial, over a 
likely feeding ground. Baskets are, of course, baited with 
fish, or some farinaceous and oily compound. 
