MDPOD - Masson du Parc Online Database

Response to the memorandum on fishing in Bengal in general and small-scale fishing on the banks of the Ganges and elsewhere In the Ganges, fishing takes place all year round using nets, and various fish are caught, as shown, with their colour, length and size, and their names in Bengal. In the month of May, when the rains begin to fall, small shad are caught. At the end of November, in some years, large quantities are caught. They block the river with bamboo stakes, leaving only two passages where they place bag-shaped nets, and they catch all the fish in the stream and in the weir. The shad is salted in the same way as herring, which tastes good. The shad is salted in a different way. The fish are cut into pieces and salted for 24 hours. They are then removed from the salt, rubbed with tamarind the thickness of a sheet of paper, and placed in a pot. A month later, the fish are washed and fried, and eaten. They have no bones. The tamarind is edible and appetising. Half vinegar is added to the tamarind, so the fish is not sour. Everyone prepares it according to their taste (margin: keeps for a year). Three days further up the river, a species of sardine is caught, but not in large quantities. It has a fairly good taste. Europeans salt it in brine and smoke it like pickled herring. (Transcribed by Bernard Allaire)

Response to the memorandum on fishing in Bengal in general and small-scale fishing on the banks of the Ganges and elsewhere In the Ganges, fishing takes place all year round using nets, and various fish are caught, as shown, with their colour, length and size, and their names in Bengal. In the month of May, when the rains begin to fall, small shad are caught. At the end of November, in some years, large quantities are caught. They block the river with bamboo stakes, leaving only two passages where they place bag-shaped nets, and they catch all the fish in the stream and in the weir. The shad is salted in the same way as herring, which tastes good. The shad is salted in a different way. The fish are cut into pieces and salted for 24 hours. They are then removed from the salt, rubbed with tamarind the thickness of a sheet of paper, and placed in a pot. A month later, the fish are washed and fried, and eaten. They have no bones. The tamarind is edible and appetising. Half vinegar is added to the tamarind, so the fish is not sour. Everyone prepares it according to their taste (margin: keeps for a year). Three days further up the river, a species of sardine is caught, but not in large quantities. It has a fairly good taste. Europeans salt it in brine and smoke it like pickled herring. (Transcribed by Bernard Allaire)

Response to the memorandum on fishing in Bengal in general and small-scale fishing on the banks of the Ganges and elsewhere In the Ganges, fishing takes place all year round using nets, and various fish are caught, as shown, with their colour, length and size, and their names in Bengal. In the month of May, when the rains begin to fall, small shad are caught. At the end of November, in some years, large quantities are caught. They block the river with bamboo stakes, leaving only two passages where they place bag-shaped nets, and they catch all the fish in the stream and in the weir. The shad is salted in the same way as herring, which tastes good. The shad is salted in a different way. The fish are cut into pieces and salted for 24 hours. They are then removed from the salt, rubbed with tamarind the thickness of a sheet of paper, and placed in a pot. A month later, the fish are washed and fried, and eaten. They have no bones. The tamarind is edible and appetising. Half vinegar is added to the tamarind, so the fish is not sour. Everyone prepares it according to their taste (margin: keeps for a year). Three days further up the river, a species of sardine is caught, but not in large quantities. It has a fairly good taste. Europeans salt it in brine and smoke it like pickled herring. (Transcribed by Bernard Allaire)

Response to the memorandum on fishing in Bengal in general and small-scale fishing on the banks of the Ganges and elsewhere In the Ganges, fishing takes place all year round using nets, and various fish are caught, as shown, with their colour, length and size, and their names in Bengal. In the month of May, when the rains begin to fall, small shad are caught. At the end of November, in some years, large quantities are caught. They block the river with bamboo stakes, leaving only two passages where they place bag-shaped nets, and they catch all the fish in the stream and in the weir. The shad is salted in the same way as herring, which tastes good. The shad is salted in a different way. The fish are cut into pieces and salted for 24 hours. They are then removed from the salt, rubbed with tamarind the thickness of a sheet of paper, and placed in a pot. A month later, the fish are washed and fried, and eaten. They have no bones. The tamarind is edible and appetising. Half vinegar is added to the tamarind, so the fish is not sour. Everyone prepares it according to their taste (margin: keeps for a year). Three days further up the river, a species of sardine is caught, but not in large quantities. It has a fairly good taste. Europeans salt it in brine and smoke it like pickled herring. (Transcribed by Bernard Allaire)

Response to the memorandum on fishing in Bengal in general and small-scale fishing on the banks of the Ganges and elsewhere In the Ganges, fishing takes place all year round using nets, and various fish are caught, as shown, with their colour, length and size, and their names in Bengal. In the month of May, when the rains begin to fall, small shad are caught. At the end of November, in some years, large quantities are caught. They block the river with bamboo stakes, leaving only two passages where they place bag-shaped nets, and they catch all the fish in the stream and in the weir. The shad is salted in the same way as herring, which tastes good. The shad is salted in a different way. The fish are cut into pieces and salted for 24 hours. They are then removed from the salt, rubbed with tamarind the thickness of a sheet of paper, and placed in a pot. A month later, the fish are washed and fried, and eaten. They have no bones. The tamarind is edible and appetising. Half vinegar is added to the tamarind, so the fish is not sour. Everyone prepares it according to their taste (margin: keeps for a year). Three days further up the river, a species of sardine is caught, but not in large quantities. It has a fairly good taste. Europeans salt it in brine and smoke it like pickled herring. (Transcribed by Bernard Allaire)

Response to the memorandum on fishing in Bengal in general and small-scale fishing on the banks of the Ganges and elsewhere In the Ganges, fishing takes place all year round using nets, and various fish are caught, as shown, with their colour, length and size, and their names in Bengal. In the month of May, when the rains begin to fall, small shad are caught. At the end of November, in some years, large quantities are caught. They block the river with bamboo stakes, leaving only two passages where they place bag-shaped nets, and they catch all the fish in the stream and in the weir. The shad is salted in the same way as herring, which tastes good. The shad is salted in a different way. The fish are cut into pieces and salted for 24 hours. They are then removed from the salt, rubbed with tamarind the thickness of a sheet of paper, and placed in a pot. A month later, the fish are washed and fried, and eaten. They have no bones. The tamarind is edible and appetising. Half vinegar is added to the tamarind, so the fish is not sour. Everyone prepares it according to their taste (margin: keeps for a year). Three days further up the river, a species of sardine is caught, but not in large quantities. It has a fairly good taste. Europeans salt it in brine and smoke it like pickled herring. (Transcribed by Bernard Allaire)

Response to the memorandum on fishing in Bengal in general and small-scale fishing on the banks of the Ganges and elsewhere In the Ganges, fishing takes place all year round using nets, and various fish are caught, as shown, with their colour, length and size, and their names in Bengal. In the month of May, when the rains begin to fall, small shad are caught. At the end of November, in some years, large quantities are caught. They block the river with bamboo stakes, leaving only two passages where they place bag-shaped nets, and they catch all the fish in the stream and in the weir. The shad is salted in the same way as herring, which tastes good. The shad is salted in a different way. The fish are cut into pieces and salted for 24 hours. They are then removed from the salt, rubbed with tamarind the thickness of a sheet of paper, and placed in a pot. A month later, the fish are washed and fried, and eaten. They have no bones. The tamarind is edible and appetising. Half vinegar is added to the tamarind, so the fish is not sour. Everyone prepares it according to their taste (margin: keeps for a year). Three days further up the river, a species of sardine is caught, but not in large quantities. It has a fairly good taste. Europeans salt it in brine and smoke it like pickled herring. (Transcribed by Bernard Allaire)

Response to the memorandum on fishing in Bengal in general and small-scale fishing on the banks of the Ganges and elsewhere In the Ganges, fishing takes place all year round using nets, and various fish are caught, as shown, with their colour, length and size, and their names in Bengal. In the month of May, when the rains begin to fall, small shad are caught. At the end of November, in some years, large quantities are caught. They block the river with bamboo stakes, leaving only two passages where they place bag-shaped nets, and they catch all the fish in the stream and in the weir. The shad is salted in the same way as herring, which tastes good. The shad is salted in a different way. The fish are cut into pieces and salted for 24 hours. They are then removed from the salt, rubbed with tamarind the thickness of a sheet of paper, and placed in a pot. A month later, the fish are washed and fried, and eaten. They have no bones. The tamarind is edible and appetising. Half vinegar is added to the tamarind, so the fish is not sour. Everyone prepares it according to their taste (margin: keeps for a year). Three days further up the river, a species of sardine is caught, but not in large quantities. It has a fairly good taste. Europeans salt it in brine and smoke it like pickled herring. (Transcribed by Bernard Allaire)

Fish, as depicted, are large and small. The small ones are dried in the sun without salt and sold by weight in the markets. The large ones are salted like dried cod, but less salt is used, and they are dried for sale. It has an unbearable stench, and is sold for 15 to 20 rupees, or 1.5 pounds when well salted by Christians or Europeans. It is good in this country, but fresh fish cannot be kept for more than 6 or 7 hours without spoiling. At the mouth of the Ganges, large oysters are fished and used to make lime. Oysters are good in stews. Lime is made from a shell called jonquera, which is as long as a finger and pyramid-shaped. Turtles are caught, but their flesh is not good and very oily. Lime is also made from a white mollusc used for betel and for whitewashing houses. From the foot of the fathoms to Balasore, 12 leagues away, fish are caught in the sea in November, December, January and February. On land, on the banks, they stretch their low-tide nets with 4-foot-high stakes in the ground. They attach their nets to these stakes (margin: these nets form an enclosure) when the sea rises 12 feet during high tides. The fish are then found on the shore, where they are caught with nets before the sea recedes. They often catch many different kinds of fish. In Balasore, there are a few shells of different shapes but not in large quantities. There are a few rivers that flow into the Balasore harbour where there are oysters but not in large quantities. In the Ganges, the fishermen's boats are flat, very long and pointed at both ends. called dingue, which can carry a barrel or two at most. The boats used for fishing in the backwaters and in Balasore are called patia. They are shaped like a long chest with raised ends and a large rudder attached to the stern. The boats are very resistant to the sea and waves and can pass over all the breakers. They are about two feet wide, and pilots often board them to reach ships in the harbour because the ships' boats cannot leave the river. There are usually five men in each boat when they go fishing at sea. They have nets that are 80 to 100 fathoms long. The top of the net is lined with calabashes and the bottom of the net is lined with terracotta balls. They stretch the net out on the sea or in the river, let it drift a certain distance with the current or the tide, then pull the net back into the boat where they find their fish attached to the net. There is another type of net called a speduie, which a man throws onto the surface of the water. It has weights at the bottom and tightens to catch the fish it finds. There is another type of net that is made in a fairly large triangle shape, which is placed on a boat stretched out with two poles, then lowered into the water and lifted up again with a counterweight. Small fish are caught with this net. There is yet another net that is dragged behind a

Fish, as depicted, are large and small. The small ones are dried in the sun without salt and sold by weight in the markets. The large ones are salted like dried cod, but less salt is used, and they are dried for sale. It has an unbearable stench, and is sold for 15 to 20 rupees, or 1.5 pounds when well salted by Christians or Europeans. It is good in this country, but fresh fish cannot be kept for more than 6 or 7 hours without spoiling. At the mouth of the Ganges, large oysters are fished and used to make lime. Oysters are good in stews. Lime is made from a shell called jonquera, which is as long as a finger and pyramid-shaped. Turtles are caught, but their flesh is not good and very oily. Lime is also made from a white mollusc used for betel and for whitewashing houses. From the foot of the fathoms to Balasore, 12 leagues away, fish are caught in the sea in November, December, January and February. On land, on the banks, they stretch their low-tide nets with 4-foot-high stakes in the ground. They attach their nets to these stakes (margin: these nets form an enclosure) when the sea rises 12 feet during high tides. The fish are then found on the shore, where they are caught with nets before the sea recedes. They often catch many different kinds of fish. In Balasore, there are a few shells of different shapes but not in large quantities. There are a few rivers that flow into the Balasore harbour where there are oysters but not in large quantities. In the Ganges, the fishermen's boats are flat, very long and pointed at both ends. called dingue, which can carry a barrel or two at most. The boats used for fishing in the backwaters and in Balasore are called patia. They are shaped like a long chest with raised ends and a large rudder attached to the stern. The boats are very resistant to the sea and waves and can pass over all the breakers. They are about two feet wide, and pilots often board them to reach ships in the harbour because the ships' boats cannot leave the river. There are usually five men in each boat when they go fishing at sea. They have nets that are 80 to 100 fathoms long. The top of the net is lined with calabashes and the bottom of the net is lined with terracotta balls. They stretch the net out on the sea or in the river, let it drift a certain distance with the current or the tide, then pull the net back into the boat where they find their fish attached to the net. There is another type of net called a speduie, which a man throws onto the surface of the water. It has weights at the bottom and tightens to catch the fish it finds. There is another type of net that is made in a fairly large triangle shape, which is placed on a boat stretched out with two poles, then lowered into the water and lifted up again with a counterweight. Small fish are caught with this net. There is yet another net that is dragged behind a

Fish, as depicted, are large and small. The small ones are dried in the sun without salt and sold by weight in the markets. The large ones are salted like dried cod, but less salt is used, and they are dried for sale. It has an unbearable stench, and is sold for 15 to 20 rupees, or 1.5 pounds when well salted by Christians or Europeans. It is good in this country, but fresh fish cannot be kept for more than 6 or 7 hours without spoiling. At the mouth of the Ganges, large oysters are fished and used to make lime. Oysters are good in stews. Lime is made from a shell called jonquera, which is as long as a finger and pyramid-shaped. Turtles are caught, but their flesh is not good and very oily. Lime is also made from a white mollusc used for betel and for whitewashing houses. From the foot of the fathoms to Balasore, 12 leagues away, fish are caught in the sea in November, December, January and February. On land, on the banks, they stretch their low-tide nets with 4-foot-high stakes in the ground. They attach their nets to these stakes (margin: these nets form an enclosure) when the sea rises 12 feet during high tides. The fish are then found on the shore, where they are caught with nets before the sea recedes. They often catch many different kinds of fish. In Balasore, there are a few shells of different shapes but not in large quantities. There are a few rivers that flow into the Balasore harbour where there are oysters but not in large quantities. In the Ganges, the fishermen's boats are flat, very long and pointed at both ends. called dingue, which can carry a barrel or two at most. The boats used for fishing in the backwaters and in Balasore are called patia. They are shaped like a long chest with raised ends and a large rudder attached to the stern. The boats are very resistant to the sea and waves and can pass over all the breakers. They are about two feet wide, and pilots often board them to reach ships in the harbour because the ships' boats cannot leave the river. There are usually five men in each boat when they go fishing at sea. They have nets that are 80 to 100 fathoms long. The top of the net is lined with calabashes and the bottom of the net is lined with terracotta balls. They stretch the net out on the sea or in the river, let it drift a certain distance with the current or the tide, then pull the net back into the boat where they find their fish attached to the net. There is another type of net called a speduie, which a man throws onto the surface of the water. It has weights at the bottom and tightens to catch the fish it finds. There is another type of net that is made in a fairly large triangle shape, which is placed on a boat stretched out with two poles, then lowered into the water and lifted up again with a counterweight. Small fish are caught with this net. There is yet another net that is dragged behind a

Fish, as depicted, are large and small. The small ones are dried in the sun without salt and sold by weight in the markets. The large ones are salted like dried cod, but less salt is used, and they are dried for sale. It has an unbearable stench, and is sold for 15 to 20 rupees, or 1.5 pounds when well salted by Christians or Europeans. It is good in this country, but fresh fish cannot be kept for more than 6 or 7 hours without spoiling. At the mouth of the Ganges, large oysters are fished and used to make lime. Oysters are good in stews. Lime is made from a shell called jonquera, which is as long as a finger and pyramid-shaped. Turtles are caught, but their flesh is not good and very oily. Lime is also made from a white mollusc used for betel and for whitewashing houses. From the foot of the fathoms to Balasore, 12 leagues away, fish are caught in the sea in November, December, January and February. On land, on the banks, they stretch their low-tide nets with 4-foot-high stakes in the ground. They attach their nets to these stakes (margin: these nets form an enclosure) when the sea rises 12 feet during high tides. The fish are then found on the shore, where they are caught with nets before the sea recedes. They often catch many different kinds of fish. In Balasore, there are a few shells of different shapes but not in large quantities. There are a few rivers that flow into the Balasore harbour where there are oysters but not in large quantities. In the Ganges, the fishermen's boats are flat, very long and pointed at both ends. called dingue, which can carry a barrel or two at most. The boats used for fishing in the backwaters and in Balasore are called patia. They are shaped like a long chest with raised ends and a large rudder attached to the stern. The boats are very resistant to the sea and waves and can pass over all the breakers. They are about two feet wide, and pilots often board them to reach ships in the harbour because the ships' boats cannot leave the river. There are usually five men in each boat when they go fishing at sea. They have nets that are 80 to 100 fathoms long. The top of the net is lined with calabashes and the bottom of the net is lined with terracotta balls. They stretch the net out on the sea or in the river, let it drift a certain distance with the current or the tide, then pull the net back into the boat where they find their fish attached to the net. There is another type of net called a speduie, which a man throws onto the surface of the water. It has weights at the bottom and tightens to catch the fish it finds. There is another type of net that is made in a fairly large triangle shape, which is placed on a boat stretched out with two poles, then lowered into the water and lifted up again with a counterweight. Small fish are caught with this net. There is yet another net that is dragged behind a

Fish, as depicted, are large and small. The small ones are dried in the sun without salt and sold by weight in the markets. The large ones are salted like dried cod, but less salt is used, and they are dried for sale. It has an unbearable stench, and is sold for 15 to 20 rupees, or 1.5 pounds when well salted by Christians or Europeans. It is good in this country, but fresh fish cannot be kept for more than 6 or 7 hours without spoiling. At the mouth of the Ganges, large oysters are fished and used to make lime. Oysters are good in stews. Lime is made from a shell called jonquera, which is as long as a finger and pyramid-shaped. Turtles are caught, but their flesh is not good and very oily. Lime is also made from a white mollusc used for betel and for whitewashing houses. From the foot of the fathoms to Balasore, 12 leagues away, fish are caught in the sea in November, December, January and February. On land, on the banks, they stretch their low-tide nets with 4-foot-high stakes in the ground. They attach their nets to these stakes (margin: these nets form an enclosure) when the sea rises 12 feet during high tides. The fish are then found on the shore, where they are caught with nets before the sea recedes. They often catch many different kinds of fish. In Balasore, there are a few shells of different shapes but not in large quantities. There are a few rivers that flow into the Balasore harbour where there are oysters but not in large quantities. In the Ganges, the fishermen's boats are flat, very long and pointed at both ends. called dingue, which can carry a barrel or two at most. The boats used for fishing in the backwaters and in Balasore are called patia. They are shaped like a long chest with raised ends and a large rudder attached to the stern. The boats are very resistant to the sea and waves and can pass over all the breakers. They are about two feet wide, and pilots often board them to reach ships in the harbour because the ships' boats cannot leave the river. There are usually five men in each boat when they go fishing at sea. They have nets that are 80 to 100 fathoms long. The top of the net is lined with calabashes and the bottom of the net is lined with terracotta balls. They stretch the net out on the sea or in the river, let it drift a certain distance with the current or the tide, then pull the net back into the boat where they find their fish attached to the net. There is another type of net called a speduie, which a man throws onto the surface of the water. It has weights at the bottom and tightens to catch the fish it finds. There is another type of net that is made in a fairly large triangle shape, which is placed on a boat stretched out with two poles, then lowered into the water and lifted up again with a counterweight. Small fish are caught with this net. There is yet another net that is dragged behind a

Fish, as depicted, are large and small. The small ones are dried in the sun without salt and sold by weight in the markets. The large ones are salted like dried cod, but less salt is used, and they are dried for sale. It has an unbearable stench, and is sold for 15 to 20 rupees, or 1.5 pounds when well salted by Christians or Europeans. It is good in this country, but fresh fish cannot be kept for more than 6 or 7 hours without spoiling. At the mouth of the Ganges, large oysters are fished and used to make lime. Oysters are good in stews. Lime is made from a shell called jonquera, which is as long as a finger and pyramid-shaped. Turtles are caught, but their flesh is not good and very oily. Lime is also made from a white mollusc used for betel and for whitewashing houses. From the foot of the fathoms to Balasore, 12 leagues away, fish are caught in the sea in November, December, January and February. On land, on the banks, they stretch their low-tide nets with 4-foot-high stakes in the ground. They attach their nets to these stakes (margin: these nets form an enclosure) when the sea rises 12 feet during high tides. The fish are then found on the shore, where they are caught with nets before the sea recedes. They often catch many different kinds of fish. In Balasore, there are a few shells of different shapes but not in large quantities. There are a few rivers that flow into the Balasore harbour where there are oysters but not in large quantities. In the Ganges, the fishermen's boats are flat, very long and pointed at both ends. called dingue, which can carry a barrel or two at most. The boats used for fishing in the backwaters and in Balasore are called patia. They are shaped like a long chest with raised ends and a large rudder attached to the stern. The boats are very resistant to the sea and waves and can pass over all the breakers. They are about two feet wide, and pilots often board them to reach ships in the harbour because the ships' boats cannot leave the river. There are usually five men in each boat when they go fishing at sea. They have nets that are 80 to 100 fathoms long. The top of the net is lined with calabashes and the bottom of the net is lined with terracotta balls. They stretch the net out on the sea or in the river, let it drift a certain distance with the current or the tide, then pull the net back into the boat where they find their fish attached to the net. There is another type of net called a speduie, which a man throws onto the surface of the water. It has weights at the bottom and tightens to catch the fish it finds. There is another type of net that is made in a fairly large triangle shape, which is placed on a boat stretched out with two poles, then lowered into the water and lifted up again with a counterweight. Small fish are caught with this net. There is yet another net that is dragged behind a

Fish, as depicted, are large and small. The small ones are dried in the sun without salt and sold by weight in the markets. The large ones are salted like dried cod, but less salt is used, and they are dried for sale. It has an unbearable stench, and is sold for 15 to 20 rupees, or 1.5 pounds when well salted by Christians or Europeans. It is good in this country, but fresh fish cannot be kept for more than 6 or 7 hours without spoiling. At the mouth of the Ganges, large oysters are fished and used to make lime. Oysters are good in stews. Lime is made from a shell called jonquera, which is as long as a finger and pyramid-shaped. Turtles are caught, but their flesh is not good and very oily. Lime is also made from a white mollusc used for betel and for whitewashing houses. From the foot of the fathoms to Balasore, 12 leagues away, fish are caught in the sea in November, December, January and February. On land, on the banks, they stretch their low-tide nets with 4-foot-high stakes in the ground. They attach their nets to these stakes (margin: these nets form an enclosure) when the sea rises 12 feet during high tides. The fish are then found on the shore, where they are caught with nets before the sea recedes. They often catch many different kinds of fish. In Balasore, there are a few shells of different shapes but not in large quantities. There are a few rivers that flow into the Balasore harbour where there are oysters but not in large quantities. In the Ganges, the fishermen's boats are flat, very long and pointed at both ends. called dingue, which can carry a barrel or two at most. The boats used for fishing in the backwaters and in Balasore are called patia. They are shaped like a long chest with raised ends and a large rudder attached to the stern. The boats are very resistant to the sea and waves and can pass over all the breakers. They are about two feet wide, and pilots often board them to reach ships in the harbour because the ships' boats cannot leave the river. There are usually five men in each boat when they go fishing at sea. They have nets that are 80 to 100 fathoms long. The top of the net is lined with calabashes and the bottom of the net is lined with terracotta balls. They stretch the net out on the sea or in the river, let it drift a certain distance with the current or the tide, then pull the net back into the boat where they find their fish attached to the net. There is another type of net called a speduie, which a man throws onto the surface of the water. It has weights at the bottom and tightens to catch the fish it finds. There is another type of net that is made in a fairly large triangle shape, which is placed on a boat stretched out with two poles, then lowered into the water and lifted up again with a counterweight. Small fish are caught with this net. There is yet another net that is dragged behind a

Fish, as depicted, are large and small. The small ones are dried in the sun without salt and sold by weight in the markets. The large ones are salted like dried cod, but less salt is used, and they are dried for sale. It has an unbearable stench, and is sold for 15 to 20 rupees, or 1.5 pounds when well salted by Christians or Europeans. It is good in this country, but fresh fish cannot be kept for more than 6 or 7 hours without spoiling. At the mouth of the Ganges, large oysters are fished and used to make lime. Oysters are good in stews. Lime is made from a shell called jonquera, which is as long as a finger and pyramid-shaped. Turtles are caught, but their flesh is not good and very oily. Lime is also made from a white mollusc used for betel and for whitewashing houses. From the foot of the fathoms to Balasore, 12 leagues away, fish are caught in the sea in November, December, January and February. On land, on the banks, they stretch their low-tide nets with 4-foot-high stakes in the ground. They attach their nets to these stakes (margin: these nets form an enclosure) when the sea rises 12 feet during high tides. The fish are then found on the shore, where they are caught with nets before the sea recedes. They often catch many different kinds of fish. In Balasore, there are a few shells of different shapes but not in large quantities. There are a few rivers that flow into the Balasore harbour where there are oysters but not in large quantities. In the Ganges, the fishermen's boats are flat, very long and pointed at both ends. called dingue, which can carry a barrel or two at most. The boats used for fishing in the backwaters and in Balasore are called patia. They are shaped like a long chest with raised ends and a large rudder attached to the stern. The boats are very resistant to the sea and waves and can pass over all the breakers. They are about two feet wide, and pilots often board them to reach ships in the harbour because the ships' boats cannot leave the river. There are usually five men in each boat when they go fishing at sea. They have nets that are 80 to 100 fathoms long. The top of the net is lined with calabashes and the bottom of the net is lined with terracotta balls. They stretch the net out on the sea or in the river, let it drift a certain distance with the current or the tide, then pull the net back into the boat where they find their fish attached to the net. There is another type of net called a speduie, which a man throws onto the surface of the water. It has weights at the bottom and tightens to catch the fish it finds. There is another type of net that is made in a fairly large triangle shape, which is placed on a boat stretched out with two poles, then lowered into the water and lifted up again with a counterweight. Small fish are caught with this net. There is yet another net that is dragged behind a

Fish, as depicted, are large and small. The small ones are dried in the sun without salt and sold by weight in the markets. The large ones are salted like dried cod, but less salt is used, and they are dried for sale. It has an unbearable stench, and is sold for 15 to 20 rupees, or 1.5 pounds when well salted by Christians or Europeans. It is good in this country, but fresh fish cannot be kept for more than 6 or 7 hours without spoiling. At the mouth of the Ganges, large oysters are fished and used to make lime. Oysters are good in stews. Lime is made from a shell called jonquera, which is as long as a finger and pyramid-shaped. Turtles are caught, but their flesh is not good and very oily. Lime is also made from a white mollusc used for betel and for whitewashing houses. From the foot of the fathoms to Balasore, 12 leagues away, fish are caught in the sea in November, December, January and February. On land, on the banks, they stretch their low-tide nets with 4-foot-high stakes in the ground. They attach their nets to these stakes (margin: these nets form an enclosure) when the sea rises 12 feet during high tides. The fish are then found on the shore, where they are caught with nets before the sea recedes. They often catch many different kinds of fish. In Balasore, there are a few shells of different shapes but not in large quantities. There are a few rivers that flow into the Balasore harbour where there are oysters but not in large quantities. In the Ganges, the fishermen's boats are flat, very long and pointed at both ends. called dingue, which can carry a barrel or two at most. The boats used for fishing in the backwaters and in Balasore are called patia. They are shaped like a long chest with raised ends and a large rudder attached to the stern. The boats are very resistant to the sea and waves and can pass over all the breakers. They are about two feet wide, and pilots often board them to reach ships in the harbour because the ships' boats cannot leave the river. There are usually five men in each boat when they go fishing at sea. They have nets that are 80 to 100 fathoms long. The top of the net is lined with calabashes and the bottom of the net is lined with terracotta balls. They stretch the net out on the sea or in the river, let it drift a certain distance with the current or the tide, then pull the net back into the boat where they find their fish attached to the net. There is another type of net called a speduie, which a man throws onto the surface of the water. It has weights at the bottom and tightens to catch the fish it finds. There is another type of net that is made in a fairly large triangle shape, which is placed on a boat stretched out with two poles, then lowered into the water and lifted up again with a counterweight. Small fish are caught with this net. There is yet another net that is dragged behind a

Fish, as depicted, are large and small. The small ones are dried in the sun without salt and sold by weight in the markets. The large ones are salted like dried cod, but less salt is used, and they are dried for sale. It has an unbearable stench, and is sold for 15 to 20 rupees, or 1.5 pounds when well salted by Christians or Europeans. It is good in this country, but fresh fish cannot be kept for more than 6 or 7 hours without spoiling. At the mouth of the Ganges, large oysters are fished and used to make lime. Oysters are good in stews. Lime is made from a shell called jonquera, which is as long as a finger and pyramid-shaped. Turtles are caught, but their flesh is not good and very oily. Lime is also made from a white mollusc used for betel and for whitewashing houses. From the foot of the fathoms to Balasore, 12 leagues away, fish are caught in the sea in November, December, January and February. On land, on the banks, they stretch their low-tide nets with 4-foot-high stakes in the ground. They attach their nets to these stakes (margin: these nets form an enclosure) when the sea rises 12 feet during high tides. The fish are then found on the shore, where they are caught with nets before the sea recedes. They often catch many different kinds of fish. In Balasore, there are a few shells of different shapes but not in large quantities. There are a few rivers that flow into the Balasore harbour where there are oysters but not in large quantities. In the Ganges, the fishermen's boats are flat, very long and pointed at both ends. called dingue, which can carry a barrel or two at most. The boats used for fishing in the backwaters and in Balasore are called patia. They are shaped like a long chest with raised ends and a large rudder attached to the stern. The boats are very resistant to the sea and waves and can pass over all the breakers. They are about two feet wide, and pilots often board them to reach ships in the harbour because the ships' boats cannot leave the river. There are usually five men in each boat when they go fishing at sea. They have nets that are 80 to 100 fathoms long. The top of the net is lined with calabashes and the bottom of the net is lined with terracotta balls. They stretch the net out on the sea or in the river, let it drift a certain distance with the current or the tide, then pull the net back into the boat where they find their fish attached to the net. There is another type of net called a speduie, which a man throws onto the surface of the water. It has weights at the bottom and tightens to catch the fish it finds. There is another type of net that is made in a fairly large triangle shape, which is placed on a boat stretched out with two poles, then lowered into the water and lifted up again with a counterweight. Small fish are caught with this net. There is yet another net that is dragged behind a

Fish, as depicted, are large and small. The small ones are dried in the sun without salt and sold by weight in the markets. The large ones are salted like dried cod, but less salt is used, and they are dried for sale. It has an unbearable stench, and is sold for 15 to 20 rupees, or 1.5 pounds when well salted by Christians or Europeans. It is good in this country, but fresh fish cannot be kept for more than 6 or 7 hours without spoiling. At the mouth of the Ganges, large oysters are fished and used to make lime. Oysters are good in stews. Lime is made from a shell called jonquera, which is as long as a finger and pyramid-shaped. Turtles are caught, but their flesh is not good and very oily. Lime is also made from a white mollusc used for betel and for whitewashing houses. From the foot of the fathoms to Balasore, 12 leagues away, fish are caught in the sea in November, December, January and February. On land, on the banks, they stretch their low-tide nets with 4-foot-high stakes in the ground. They attach their nets to these stakes (margin: these nets form an enclosure) when the sea rises 12 feet during high tides. The fish are then found on the shore, where they are caught with nets before the sea recedes. They often catch many different kinds of fish. In Balasore, there are a few shells of different shapes but not in large quantities. There are a few rivers that flow into the Balasore harbour where there are oysters but not in large quantities. In the Ganges, the fishermen's boats are flat, very long and pointed at both ends. called dingue, which can carry a barrel or two at most. The boats used for fishing in the backwaters and in Balasore are called patia. They are shaped like a long chest with raised ends and a large rudder attached to the stern. The boats are very resistant to the sea and waves and can pass over all the breakers. They are about two feet wide, and pilots often board them to reach ships in the harbour because the ships' boats cannot leave the river. There are usually five men in each boat when they go fishing at sea. They have nets that are 80 to 100 fathoms long. The top of the net is lined with calabashes and the bottom of the net is lined with terracotta balls. They stretch the net out on the sea or in the river, let it drift a certain distance with the current or the tide, then pull the net back into the boat where they find their fish attached to the net. There is another type of net called a speduie, which a man throws onto the surface of the water. It has weights at the bottom and tightens to catch the fish it finds. There is another type of net that is made in a fairly large triangle shape, which is placed on a boat stretched out with two poles, then lowered into the water and lifted up again with a counterweight. Small fish are caught with this net. There is yet another net that is dragged behind a

boat with a cul-de-sac. They catch small fish. They also have a line attached to a cul-de-sac, which is tied by two ropes to an anchor buried in the ground and enclosed in a large bamboo jetty that they throw wherever they want to set their nets. It buries itself in the mud and holds the net with banaste (basket) buoys. When there is little water, they attach two poles to the side of the net, which they push into the mud, spread the mouth of the net to the tide or the judge, and raise it at every tide to remove the fish. There are no other fisheries in Bengal than those mentioned above. The common people value fish because most of the gentiles eat only fish and vegetables and no meat. There are many gentiles who do not eat fish because their caste forbids them to eat anything that is alive. The rich Moors do not value fish. They eat meat every day. Poor Moors value fish because it costs them less than meat. Fish is also prepared by frying it in butter. Once cooked, it is left to cool. When cold, it is placed in vinegar with milk, pepper, ginger and other spices. When you want to eat it, you take a piece and eat it cold. It is appetising and can be kept for a month, up to 40 days. They have no other ways of preparing fish. Birds of prey are not used for fishing. Turtles can be seen in Balasore in December and January. They are easily caught by approaching them and removing them. The meat is worthless because it is very oily. They are not large. They are also caught in the Ganges. No whales are seen on the coast of Bengal. In the Ganges, porpoises are caught in nets and speared with small spears with a thin line attached. When wounded, they bleed to death in half a day and are pulled ashore with their line. They are also seen in Balasore, but not in large numbers. The flesh is eaten. The fat is used for pain relief. When melted, it becomes like a very foul-smelling oil. No extraordinary sea monsters are seen on the coasts of Bengal. There are no mermen or mermaids. The fishermen of the Ganges say that there is a fish that resembles an elephant with its trunk, but they are very rare. It is called a hanguer. It is depicted with the other fish. There is no ambergris in the Gulf of Bengal because the coasts are made up of land and sand, and ambergris comes from coasts where there are rocks. It is produced as described below.