DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12665#0037
AN ARAB FISHEKMAN.
29
for a throw, with the one end in his right hand, and
taking advantage of ripples made by the wind, and
the sun throwing his shadow behind him, he runs
along the shore until he sees a school of fish, when,
with a gentle jerk, and without any noise, he throws
his net, which opens and spreads as it falls, so that
a little thing, which could be put easily into a hat,
expands sufficiently to cover a surface of twenty
or thirty feet. While running along with us he
threw several times ; and, as he managed his craft
with skill, never throwing until he saw something,
he was always successful. I could not make any
thing out of the Arabic name of the fish; but I have
the flavour of them still on my tongue—a flavour
at the moment finer than that of the sole or turbot
of Paris, or the trout of Long Island.
In the afternoon the weather changed. Since
we first struck the sea, our road along its shore had
been one of uncommon beauty, and my time passed
very pleasantly, sometimes allowing my dromedary
to cool his feet in the clear water, sometimes dis-
mounting to pick up a shell, and all the time hav-
ing a warm sun and a refreshing breeze ; but it was
my fortune to see this ancient country under every
hue of the changing elements. The sun was now
obscured; a strong wind came down the sea directly
in our teeth; the head of the gulf was cut off from
our view; the sea was troubled, and the white caps
were dancing on its surface; the dark mountains
looked darker and more lonely; while before us
a rainbow was forming over the point of Akaba,
29
for a throw, with the one end in his right hand, and
taking advantage of ripples made by the wind, and
the sun throwing his shadow behind him, he runs
along the shore until he sees a school of fish, when,
with a gentle jerk, and without any noise, he throws
his net, which opens and spreads as it falls, so that
a little thing, which could be put easily into a hat,
expands sufficiently to cover a surface of twenty
or thirty feet. While running along with us he
threw several times ; and, as he managed his craft
with skill, never throwing until he saw something,
he was always successful. I could not make any
thing out of the Arabic name of the fish; but I have
the flavour of them still on my tongue—a flavour
at the moment finer than that of the sole or turbot
of Paris, or the trout of Long Island.
In the afternoon the weather changed. Since
we first struck the sea, our road along its shore had
been one of uncommon beauty, and my time passed
very pleasantly, sometimes allowing my dromedary
to cool his feet in the clear water, sometimes dis-
mounting to pick up a shell, and all the time hav-
ing a warm sun and a refreshing breeze ; but it was
my fortune to see this ancient country under every
hue of the changing elements. The sun was now
obscured; a strong wind came down the sea directly
in our teeth; the head of the gulf was cut off from
our view; the sea was troubled, and the white caps
were dancing on its surface; the dark mountains
looked darker and more lonely; while before us
a rainbow was forming over the point of Akaba,