Page 227 - PERSIAN 2 1879_1883_Neat

residence and muscat political agency por 1880-81, 57

outside tl»rough which the fish enter like mice into the trap ami cannot
cr,-t out again, it is made of date tree branches, split bamboos or twigs.
A couple of large stones arc put in the bottom of each 9 Gargoor/ and
tiu-v arc then sunk in deep water, generally five or six at a little distance
from each other a ml connected together by a stout rope; the Inst one
milk has a rope and buoy attached. They arc left for two or three days
and then pulled up and the fish taken out. It is not necessary to put
any hail inside the * Gargoor’; the fish either imagine there is something
inside, or out of curiosity push their way in, aud when one or two are
in the rest follow like a herd of sheep. Iam told sometimes these
‘ Gargoors9 are taken up as full of fish as they can possibly hold, The
fish usually caught are: * I la moor/ * Khuboor/ 'Sang-i-Sar/ ‘Slia’am/
‘ Uumarrah/ 1 Niramar/ * Sikilat' ‘Josh/ &c. * Gargoors 9 are fished all
the year round, but arc most successful from June to December. * Gar-
goors' are made of different sizes from 2 feet to 7 or 8 feet in diameter.
Hook and line. The hook and liue is extensively used throughout
the Gulf, aud in spring and autumn is most successful. A boat with
four men will sometimes catch ten or twelve Hasham maunds (l Hasham
maund is equal to 124 pounds) of fish in a day. The hooks used*
:irc obtained from India. The baits used are * Khathak’ or 9 Nagbar*
(a kind «>f cuttle-fish); • Mcyd’ (Sardines); flesh of the * Goaf/ a favorite
1-ait for * Umcdhrcys* or ‘Shureedah’; sharks’ liver for ‘Sobeytee';
‘ Uolaleedth ’ or * Aweyd ’ (Persian f Pershak’) (king crab), and for
f-m ill fish * Dood/ a sea-worm dug out of the sand ou the shore. The
fi'h niO't commonly caught by the line are ‘Sang-i-Sar/ * Soboytee/
' 1 medhreys/ * Josh/ 9 Itashgoo/ * Kau'ad/ or ‘ Sheermahec/ * Ilamoor/
‘ llaUhd/ * Geloo.’
^ hen sailing at a good pace trolling with the hook and line is also
adapted. Two hooks are tied hack to back, and little bits of red and
white cloth are tied above the hooks. This mode of fishing is called
‘ li i Zaiiah/ * Kan’ad ’ and 1 Anfaloos’ are thus caught.
1 Kawar/ spear or rather large (harpoon), about nine feet long
with a ring in the centre, to which a stout string is attached. It is
Um-.1 as a sj*car and also thrown as a harpoon. It i9 much used by the
ndicrinen of the islands and Arab Coast for catching c Hamas’ and
‘Shoeroo’ (turtle), * Dookhs’ (porpoise),9 Shimahi/ ‘ Khathak ’ (cuttle-
ush) and sharks and rays of various kinds.
Curing fixh.—The curing of fish is performed by the Gulf fisher-
.men in a very rough and perfunctory manner, which might be much
improved upon to their owu advantage, as more carefully cured fish
would bring a much better price in foreigu markets. Three methods are

* u —The ®fih are simply dried in the sun. This mode is adopted
w»tb sharks and * Metoot.’ With the former the flesh is cut into strips
, dried. * Metoot/ a kind of white-bait, is simply spread in the sub
*ud left to dry. r
I —The fi**h are slit open down the back, roughly cleaned, the
‘j '*dng thrown away, a small quantity of salt rubbed on them, and
i d” ^lrown * vessel containing brine, where they are left for a time,.

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