IN THE INDIAN OCEAN AND THE EASTERN SEA.g. 271 



developed in India and the far East, but the fishes sought for food are 

 equally important. 



Firstly, we have the products of that sea monster, the shark, in its 

 edible fins and oil. 



There are shark fisheries on the eastern coast of Africa, and in several 

 parts of the Indian Ocean, chiefly for the sake of the fins which are 

 exported to China. . About 7,000 cwt. were imported into Canton alone 

 in 1850, chiefly from India and the Eastern Archipelago. From 7,000 

 to 10,000 cwt. of sharks' fins are exported annually from Bombay. In 

 1853, 7,373 cwt. of these valued at 14,748Z., were imported into Bom- 

 bay from the Arabian and Persian Gulfs, Sonmeannee and Mukran. 

 About 1,400 cwt. of these fins are sent from the Madras territories to 

 China. Sumatra, Manila, Malacca, Arracan, and the Tenasserim Pro- 

 vinces, also send large quantities. There are two kinds recognised, the 

 white and the black shark fins, which are eaten by Chinamen. The 

 species from which they are chiefly obtained are Rhynocoiaius pectinata 

 and R. laevis and Galiocerda tigrina. 



The late Dr. Buist, of Bombay, in a communication to the Zoological 

 Society in 1851, stated that there were thirteen large boats, with twelve 

 men in each, constantly employed in the shark fishery at Kurrachee. 



The value of the fins sent to market varies from 15,000 to 18,000 

 rupees (1,500^. to 1,800Z.), or 1,000 to 1,200 rupees for each boat, after 

 allowing the Banian or factor his profit. One boat will sometimes cap- 

 ture at a draught as many as 100 sharks of different sizes. The average 

 capture of each boat probably amounts to about 3,000, so as to give the 

 whole sharks captured at not less than 40,000 a year. The great basking 

 shark, or mhor (Salaclius maximus), is always harpooned ; it is found 

 floating or asleep near the surface of the water. The liver of a large 

 fish of this species will yield eight barrels of oil. The oil is of a very 

 low specific gravity. 



The fish, once struck, is allowed to run till tired ; it is then pulled 

 in, and beaten with clubs till stunned. A large hook is now hooked 

 into its eyes or nostrils, or wherever it can be got most easily attached, 

 and by this the shark is towed on shore ; several boats are requisite for 

 towing. The mhor is often 40, sometimes 60, feet in length ; the mouth 

 is occasionally 4 feet wide. All other varieties of shark are caught in 

 nets, somewhat like the way in which herrings are caught at home. 

 The net is made of strong English whip-cord ; the meshes about 6 

 inches ; they are generally 6 feet wide, and from 600 to 803 fathoms, or 

 from three-quarters to nearly a mile, in length. On the one side are 

 floats of wood about 4 feet in length, at intervals of 6 feet ; on the other, 

 pieces of stone. The nets are sunk in deep water, from 80 to 150 feet, 

 well out at sea, 



They are put in one day and taken out the next ; so that they are 

 down two or three times a week, according to the state of the weather, 

 and success of the fishing. The lesser sharks are commonly found dead, 



