MODE OF CATCHING FISH. 
31 
Wklo to catch the fish which are very abundant in these 
waters. They have a net eight or nine feet square^ sewed 
up at one end : two thick flexible sticks are securely fastened 
at the extremities to the lateral sides of the net in such a 
manner, that by means of them the net may be shut and 
opened at pleasure : the upper side is left open or but half 
sewed up ; lastly, the two sticks being held together with 
the hand, the net has the form of a bag. The negroes 
drive a row of stakes into the bottom of the marigot, so as 
to divide it in two : these stakes are placed so close as to 
allow only very small fish to pass ; and they fasten to them, 
two feet below the surface of the water, wooden cross-bars 
on which they stand. To catch the fish, they sink the net 
gently to the bottom, holding the two sticks apart, that is, 
keeping the net open; then bringing the sticks together, 
they close it and draw it out of the water : in this manner 
the fish are taken as in a bag. To manage it with the 
greatest ease, they take care to let the sticks project two 
feet beyond the top of the net, and support these ends 
upon their shoulders ; then with their hands they can move 
it about at pleasure. They have a stick about a foot long, 
with which they kill the fish, and then by means of an 
iron hook and a cotton cord they hang it to one of the 
stakes, to keep moist in the water till they have finished 
their fishery, which is always very productive. The nets 
are made of twisted cotton thread of the thickness of sail- 
makers' twine. 
The fishermen cut open the fish, dry it, and take it 
for sale to villages at a distance from the banks of the river; 
carrying on a very extensive commerce in this article. 
On the 24th of August the steam-vessel, for which I was 
waiting to] be ^conveyed to Podor, arrived ; we started at 
seven in the evening of the 27th, and landed there on the 
29th at two in the afternoon. It is an ancient French 
settlement, of which few traces only are now left. I went 
