Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/416

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of the water, we made up to them, renewed the attack, and in like manner continued it, till we iecurcd our game.

They have a furprifing method of fifhing under the edges of rocks, that ftand over deep places of a river. There, they pull off their red breeches> or their long flip of Stroud cloth, and wrapping it round their arm, fo as to reach to the lower part of the palm of their right hand, they dive under the rock where the large cat-fifli lie to fhelter themfelves from the fcorch- ing beams of the fun, and to watch. for prey : a-s foon as thofe fierce aquatic animals fee that tempting bait, they immediately feize it with the greateft violence, in order to fwallow it. Then is the time for the diver to improve the favourable opportunity : he accordingly opens his hand, feizes the voracious fifh by his tender parts, hath a (harp ftruggle with it againft the crevices of the rock,, and at laft brings it fafe afhore. Except the Choktah, all our Indians, both male and female, above the (late of infancy, are in the watery element nearly equal to amphibious animals, by prac tice : and from the experiments neceflity has forced them to, it feems as if few were endued with fuch ftrong natural abilities, very few can equal them in their wild fituation of life.

There is a favourite method among them of fiming with hand-nets. The nets are about three feet deep, and of the fame diameter at the opening, made of hemp, and knotted after the ufual manner of our nets. On each fide of the mouth, they tie very fecurely a itrong elaftic green cane, to which the ends are fattened. Prepared with thcfe, the warriors a-breaft, jump in at the end of a long pond, fwimming under water, with their net ftretched open with both hands, and the canes in a horizontal po- fition. In this manner, they will continue, either till their breath is ex pended by the want of refpiration, or till the net is fo ponderous as to force them to exonerate it afhore, or in a bafket, fixt in a proper place for that purpofe -by removing one hand, the canes inftantly fpring together. I have been engaged half a day at a time, with the old-friendly Chikkafah, and half drowned in the diverfibn when any of us was fo unfortunate as. to catch water-fnakes in our fweep> and emptied them afliore, we had the ranting voice of our friendly pofle comjtatus, whooping againft us, till ano ther party was fo unlucky as to meet with the like misfortune. During this sxercife,. the women are fiming afliore with coarfe bafkets, to catch the fifh

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