Boat fishing.—­In fishing with a long ground-line and many hooks, it is of importance to avoid entanglements; make a box in which to coil the line, and a great many deep saw-cuts across the sides, into which the thin short lines, to which the hooks are whipped, may be jammed.

Fishermen who do not use oars, but paddles, tie a loop to their line:  they put their thumb through the loop, and fish while they paddle.

To see Things deep under Water, such as dead seals, use a long box or tube with a piece of glass at the lower end; this removes entirely the glare of the water and the effects of a rippled surface.  Mr. Campbell, of Islay, suggests that a small glass window might be let into the bottom of the boat:  Plate-glass would be amply strong enough. (See “Water-spectacles.”)

Nets.—­A small square net may be best turned to account by sinking it in holes and other parts of a river which fish frequent; throwing in bait to attract them over it; and then hauling up suddenly.  The arrangement shown in the figure is very common.  A seine net may be furnished with bladder for floats, or else with pieces of light wood charred to make them more buoyant.  The hauling-ropes may be made of bark steeped for three weeks, till the inner bark separates from the outer, when the latter is twisted into a rope. (Lloyd.) Wherever small fish are swimming in shoals near the surface, there the water is sure to be rippled.

[Sketch of net arrangement as described].

Spearing Fish.—­The weapon used (sometimes called the “grains”) is identical with Neptune’s or Britannia’s trident, only the prongs should be more numerous and be placed nearer together, in order to catch small fish:  the length of the handle gives steadiness to the blow.  In spearing by torchlight, a broad oval piece of bark is coated with wet mud, and in it a blazing fire is lighted.  It is fixed on a stage, or it is held in the bow of the boat, so high as to be above the spearman’s eyes.  He can see everything by its light, especially if the water be not above four feet deep, and the bottom sandy.  But there are not many kinds of wood that will burn with a sufficiently bright flame; the dry bark of some resinous tree is often used.  If tarred rope can be obtained, it may simply be wound round a pole fixed in the bow of the boat, and lighted.  Fish can also be shot with a bow and a barbed arrow, to which a string is attached.

Intoxicating Fish.—­Lime thrown into a pond will kill the fish; and the similar but far more energetic properties of Cocculus Indicus are well known.  Throughout tropical Africa and in South America, the natives catch fish by poisoning them.  Dams are made, which, when the river is very low, Enclose deep pools of water with no current; into these the poison is thrown:  it intoxicates the fish, which float and are taken by the hand.