THE ISLAND OP CEYLON. 
S7 
their own use. Whether this system be the best for govern- 
ment, or for the fishermen may be disputed; but it is plainly 
the worst for the purchaser, as all competition is destroyed. 
Although Columbo has a very extensive fishery of its own, 
yet it is also largely supplied from Nigumbo. The fish as 
soon as caught are put into boats, conveyed by the rivers 
and canals during the night, and sold in the bazars next 
morning. 
I was struck with a curious method of catching fish prac- 
tised by the natives in the lakes and rivers adjoining to Ni- 
gumbo. They go into the water up to the middle of the 
thigh, carrying in their hands a round basket of a conical 
form, something resembling our wire rat-traps without the 
bottom. This they suddenly plunge into the water quite 
down to the mud. They soon find whether they have enclosed 
a fish by its beating against the sides of the basket : when 
this is the case, they thrust down their arm through the 
hole at the top and lay hold of it. They string the fish as 
they catch them on a piece of rattan or bamboe, which is 
fastened round their waist ; and I have often seen them quite 
loaded with what they caught in this manner. While the 
operation of plunging the basket is continued, other persons 
are employed in splashing the water all around in order to 
make the fish go towards the basket. 
Besides the produce of the fisheries, other sorts of traffic 
are carried on at Nigumbo to a considerable amount. It is 
to this place that the adjacent country sends such articles, as 
