Chapter 10 Catching Fish in A rubber Estate

Fishing in a rubber estate was quite different from that in town by the river side.Yeah, all totally different affairs.For in the rubber estate we learned to fish in smaller streams with water flowing towards the river.

Here we only used a rod made of bamboo or just a long stick.Attached at one end would be the meter long string  and at the end of the string was the small hook,A float made of an inch twig was also tied to  about few inches from the hook.As baits earth worms were used.At times we had tiny  shrimp caught from the sides of those streams.

With those in tact the hook was let into a suitable spot of the stream,usually most likely places were under some fallen tree trunks or at deep part of the stream.Thereafter all we had to do was to wait quietly for the fish to take a bit or so.A slightest sound made would scared the fish away.

Once it begin to drag the string we had to jerk the rod fast with the fish secured.Failing which the fish escaped being hooked.Fish caught this way were small fish such as snake head or aruan,ikan hantu or the small white fish.Snake head caught in the stream were never big.Ikan hantu also not very big.But what can you expect from a stream.

Only river yielded bigger fishes not stream.In the rubber estate where the man made drains,the water within them were quite clear and with plenty of water weeds.Big size snake head could be seen clearly hiding among the weeds.As soon as its sensed any danger they would with haste swim away to another safer spot.

Once they swim to another spot and being detected we can catch them quite easily .Not by hand but by cutting or slashing them with a parang.Many a times the fish were cut into two but nevertheless thwey were caught.The size of such fish were usually big.

I remember stealing snake heads from traps set by the kampong folks in the rubber estate.Their traps were actually simple contraption along the side of estate drains A sort of dug in hole with a sliding door of  plank which would glide downwards as soon as the fish swim into it to disturb the trigger within.The gliding door would enclosed the fish with,thus trapping it.

As we happened to pass by before the trapper came along we secured the fish first instead of him.Of course that was out right stealing from the trap but as kids who cares.finders were keepers that was the rule of the day.It was not often we could be that lucky.There was a time when we pulled out water a water snake from within the trap.Fortunately we escaped being bitten by it ,failing which one of us would had landed in the hospital with a fatal bite. 

Another way catching fish was the bailing of water from an enclosed water hole in the drain.In some parts of drains in the estate or maybe at drains junctions there were certain  parts deeper than the rest of the drain where most fish dwelt .All we had to do were to block all sides of the outlets of the drains with mud and soil from the drain and from its sides.

With retaining walls  properly  secured, existing water within that blocked zone were  hand bailed out.A tedious job  but many a time worth the labor put in.When all the water were removed, fish within would be captured.Many fish would be taking refuge in the soft mud and we got to dig them out  with our bare hands.Many a times snakes were also captured.

When the job was finally done all of us would be fully covered with mud.Very dirty indeed. but a good harvest would be worthwhile.There were times that we were left with nothing in hand despite our effort.Well,that was catching fish in the estate and frankly most of us enjoy every minute of it.Next,come the estate supervisors and we were caught and forced to remove all these blockages.  

The blockages had to be  removed until water can flow as it normally does.That were really bad and plenty of hard work.Then the whole affair were not that funny any more. So this method of fishing had its follies.As boys such labor were well worth it,Was it?????.

When the fighting fish season due along we would catch those fish from the sides of estate's shallow drains or from padi fields.The good and fierce ones usually hid under some foams or bubbles.So as these were located a vegetable basket was used to sieve them up from their hiding place.Failing which we had to sieve them from the sides of the drains.Our drain yielded only the Malaysian type of fighting fish (Betta.Imbellis). That were those with dark color fish with crimson blue body.and its tail lined with crimson blue , red lining.

 All these were quite different from the Siamese fighting fish (Betta Spenden) which could could never be found in our drains.Those were slightly bigger than our variety and more colorful  and much stronger.Our local fightimg fish were no match against them.Those were ferocious fighters which would fight until one yields.At times they fought for hours until they got attached to each other  by their mouths.  The loser would ultimately released its grip and escaped away.

 It used to be quite expensive to have one or two.However,many entrepreneurs had managed to bred and multiply them in fish tanks.That was why it is very cheap to own one .But one thing remained doubtful, are the ones cultivated by us any better than those from Thailand?.I am positively sure they were not as strong,what say you???,              .


to be continued.

Memories Chapter 10 Geogie Porgie

Georgie Porgie Puddin' & Pie
Kissed the girls and make them cry
When the boys came out to play
Georgie Porgie ran away

Remember that nurser rhyme ?.Well, you all know I am sure but as a naughty boy has anyone of you done this?I am pretty sure non had not even my brother .Not boasting but I as a young boy I had done that.Can anyone beat that?.

I was about thirteen years old then and had just shifted into the rubber estate.As new residence many new friends played with us.All running here and there,There was this pretty little girl, the shop keeper's daughter about eleven or so. She was fair and pretty.She wore a charming and attractive smile swirling up and down around me most of the time.

That aroused my anxiety just to grab her and hold her.In a flash of seconds I came out of my mind - just did that.I held her and pinned her  down.She did not seem scared of me at all.She allowed to hold on to her but she covered her own face with her hands - smiling or giggling at me.In quick succession I just planted a kiss her on her right cheek.

Then immediately I took fright and released her off my gripped. She ran away smiling thereafter.My brother saw what happened and pointed his index finger at me warning me.The whole affair was not exposed nor was it blown out of proportion.

The inevitable had happened but we never got better acquainted thereafter because my interest were drawn else where.I understand she grew up to be another beauty.I ny case I never missed her.God bless her.

Memories Chapter 9 Row,row Your Boat.

As a child we have learned that nursery rythm"Row,row your boat,gently down the stream,Merrily,merrily,gently down the stream".Ah,that was it.

Francis and Fabian were always by the side of the river most mornings.One fine morning they saw the usual Malay fisherman chaining his boat or "sampan" to a nearby mangrove tree and then left.

"Sampan" as they so called because it was supposed to be made of three pieces of planks as in Chinese.The small boat could have other name but no one bother to use it but only "sampan".

Francis suggested that they go up into that small boat for a feel of it.So Fabian climbed into the back of that small boat.Francis followed but his entry made the small boat wobbled.He took fright but slowly steady himself.

But alas that small boat cannot cater for two persons.An unwanted move in that boat and the boat will over turned.The boat actually meant for catching prawns and can take one person only.With both sitting in that boat the water level almost reached the brink of the lowest point of its sides.

Seeing the boat steady Fabian took the oar and began to row.They could not have gone far because the boat was chained to a tree.The rowing caused the small boat to move around that same spot only.

Francis sensing that the boat was not moving away stood up.As he stood up the small boat tilted to one side.And Francis shouted in fear,"Boat capsizing,abandon boat!". Fabian had no time to reply and followed the boat as it overturned.Both brothers were in deep water but being good swimmers they recovered their composure and quickly swam to the river bank for safety.

Because were swimmers no harm came to them and they swam back to the river bank for safety.The boat had overturned and they could reversed it back,so they waited for the tide to recede.

When it was low tide they overturned the boat back to its normal position on the muddy river bank.When high tide again came the boat was a float as usual so no damage was done.Nothing a miss.The too gave the boat a good cleaning.

Later in the day the Malay fisherman came and was pleased to see his boat in placed.
The boys greed him and inquire as to when he will begin his job in catching prawns.The Malay fisherman told the next morning.

Out of curiosity both brothers went to find out how the fisherman catch his prawns.It was very early the morning about 4.oo a.m.both boys waited for tghe Malay man to begin.

First the Malay Fisherman put a very bright light in front of the boat,following he sat be sat at the back of the boat and started to row slowly.As he rowed slowly in the river,amazingly some prawns began jumping towards the bright light and landed into the boat.

Once inside the boat these prawns cannot jumped any more and thus cannot escaped.The boat man continued rowing until the break of dawn and sufficient prawns were caught this way.Fabian and Francis could only followed part of the way on the river bank.That was sufficient for them to understand how to catch fresh water prawns the "kampong" way.

Memories Chapter 8 Fishing and catching prawns

Those days Fabian and Francis ,they never had the money to purchase regular fishing equipments,but who needs fishing rods etc. for river fishing?

All they had was a long piece of fishing guts and a hook,for weight to pull down the hook with bait a small piece of stone will suffice.Yeah that was it.As for baits they can used earth worms which were easily available by digging the soil or easier still by pulling up some grasses to catch the worms.

Another simple baits will be to catch some small prawns with a coconut shell.However the shell must be recently grind of its fresh.Tiny prawns feeds on the left over of fresh in the coconut shell.It would not take a few minutes to catch two or three of them.

What ever it was Fabian always used earth worms to fish.The worms were attached to the fishing hook.Following the the hook were thrown into the river,not very far but as far as the fishing gut will allowed.Then come the waiting game.One had to be patient to wait for a bite.

Normally fishing was done during high tide when there were more fishes coming in following the flow of the tide.Fabian never like fishing because he had no patient to wait for a bite,therefore not catching any thing.

But there were a time he really caught a fish.He and brother BBque it over a fire and ate it.That a lucky day indeed.

One fine evening at the river they saw two Malay fishermen laying a barricade by he riverside.It was low tide and the laying was easily done.The barricade of bamboo striplings were laid about few feet from the river banks.

These were set to trap fresh water prawns coming in during high tide when the river water will over flowed into the barricades,thus trapping the prawns inside when the tide recede.

Fresh water prawns fetched a good price then,These prawns had big heads and smaller body and armed with long big blueish craws.They were actually as big as the hand can hold.At high tide they swim round the river banks in search of food.Apparently they followed the tide.

Very early the following morning Fabian and brother went to that river bank.Finding no one around ,both went into the river.The tide had receded to almost kneel level.so they immediately went to scope the river side with their hands.

In the beginning they caught two prawns.Encouraged by this Fabian tried to catch more.At one scope he sensed something in the river and immediately caught hold of it."Yes,I got one big fish",he yelled out.

No sooner had he finished yelling he pulled up something wriggling vigorously.Francis saw that it was not a fish but a water snake.In horror he called out,"Snake,snake".At this moment Fabian also noticed that it was a snake struggling and within that split seconds he fling the snake away,out further into the river.

That was really a scared for him,for holding it any longer he might have bitten by the water snake.It was indeed a lucky escaped.Thereafter both brothers climbed up to the river bank to safety.

With two prawns in hand they boiled them over a small can of water.Well nothing was lost after all.They each had a prawn for breakfast and the soup to quench their thirst.It can be considered a good day's work.

Both brothers actually had another lucky escape from another reptile - the Crocodile while catching prawns.These two brothers



To continue

Chapter 7 Moonshiners

One full moon day Fabian and brother Francis could not sleep properly that night,so they both sneaked out of the house for a breather.

The open compound were few huge logs left there by the neighboring sawmill for temporary storage.They sat and at times lying on top of those logs.Just then there was a strong breeze blowing.

It was real cool indeed,while relaxing on those logs Francis suddenly noticed some lighting in the bushes a short distance from behind their house.He was scared stiff and quickly pulled his brother Fabian's hand directing him the direction of the lights.

"I think Ghosts",he murmured in a shivering voice.

Looking at that direction Fabian also took fright as it was already passed midnight,so he too looked terrified.On further observations they noticed that there were someone moving about there and they were talking in Malay.

They waited a while before plucking up courage to sneak near to have a closer examination of what was happening over there.So slowly they crept towards that spot watching their steps as they moved forward,,fearing they might step on a snake or something else.

What ever it was they still kept a safe distance from that spot.However they could not make out what those men were doing.Fabian then suggested they went away from that place for fear of being discovered.Thereafter they returned home to sleep.

Next morning both of them did not allow what they saw to rest.So after breakfast they noticing no one at the spot which was under an old mango tree,proceeded to investigate what was it they saw the night before.

There was a rough shed constructed with only a few pieces of old and rusty corrugated zinc sheets.The shed was not high only slightly higher than a man.There were few big drums lying around,two of them were filled with dirty yellowish water.

There was also a paper box containing some whit powder and some dry chillies littered around the ground.There was also smell of liquor.Liquor?Oh, no, illicit liquor.Those guys were moonshiners producing illicit liquor or "samsu" as locals called them.

Now it was illegal to moonshine and can be arrested and prosecuted in court.Fearing for the worst,Fabian quickly hurried his younger sibling away from that wretched place.

Fabian and Francis aware of the danger involved kept their mouth shut and stayed away from that place from that day on wards.

However,only a week later or so, the long arms of the law caught up with those moonshiners.Apparently the Police had prior knowledge of their activities there and waited for the correct moment to capture them red handed on the spot.

All of us saw the Police led them away in handcuffs.It was a Chinese man and two Indians.Served them right,committing a serious crime and must be prosecuted.Crime therefore does not pay.

Chapter 6 To Catch a Turtle

One fine Sunday morning Joe turned uo Fabian's residence intending to go for a swim in the river.It was low tide and the river banks were muddy.

Nevertheless they all went to the river side together with small brother Francis.All of them gather under the shed of a mangrove tree where the always dived when the tide was high.

To-day,however was low tide that morning so they sat there building castles in the air and laughing heartedly,when all of a sudden Francis noticed something moving in the mud beyond.

"Look ! Turtle he exclaimed.

"Where?"asked Joe."over there pointing to a pool of mud a few meters away.

Sensing it was a turtle all of them rushed towards it intending to capture it.Francis was the first one to reach that spot.He stood in front of the small pool of mud,and before he could bend down to catch the turtle,the turtle was faster then his bending.

It rushed off in between the legs of Francis.Seeing this Fabian dived at it.It appeared as if he had caught that creature,but no he dived straight into the mud.Apparently his dived head on into the mud,with his face almost stucked in.

His diving made the surrounding mud to splash all round,dirtying Joe and Francis.All got a fair share of the mud bath.

"Look who we got here?"," A mud man",two of them began making jokes on Fabian.

"very funny""both of you are no better" Then all sat in the mud and laughed.By then the turtle which was bigger than a big plate had escaped into the river.What a lucky escape for it,otherwise it would have turned into turtle soup.

The three of them went on to clean themselves in the river and thereafter returned home empty handed.

Chapter 5 " Ahoy-there - a Durian coming"

Beside swimming in that river much of their time were spent lying under those coconut less trees,enjoying the breeze blowing there.It was always a cool atmosphere.Many a time the whole gang were there,but most of the time only Fabian and brother,Francis.

Come Durian season,the jetty further upstream (about one odd meters away from their playground) workers will sometime unload fruits produced by the "kampongs" in the rural areas where there were little or no transport at all.

Durians,rambutan and mangoesteen were unload from boats at this jetty.Unloading Durians the workers had to pass from the boat to the jetty by hand as all the fruits were not brought in by baskets,but lumped together in one side of the boat thus saving space.Baskets were also rare in the rural areas then and costly.

THe workers were all very capable in passing the fruits from hands to hands.It was a very thorny issue and a small slip might hurt one's palm.Leave the workers alone they were all very skillful and most passing were very,very accurate.In any case there was always a minor margin of failure.

That could be fatal,not for the worker but the Durian,as a miss pass meant that they lose the fruit and it will definitely land into the water below and floated away very fast.What was one fruit the workers will not waste time swimming after it to retrieve it.

That particular Durian will flow down stream.That Durian coming down stream would not miss the watchful eyes of Francis and Fabian.On seeing that fruit,a shout of joy will ringed out through the ears."ahoy there,there comes a Durian".

Without hesitation Fabian will rushed off the banks and dived in to swim vigorously towards that fruit.Well.being an improved swimmer that was "Sup,sup.Siow" for Fabian.
"Sup.sup Siow" meant in Chinese "Very little bits or very small things nothing to bother"or maybe better "No problem".

The fruit was then opened up and shared among all present."Kampong" or village Durian had many seeds of fresh, so enough for everyone present.Poor boys those days were too poor to buy Durian and to pluck one from the river was a grand occasion,and everyone enjoyed that treat.

It is not every day that they had those fallen fruits,sometimes none will float by,but workers were workers they do make mistake,that will depend on the boys' luck.

Well those were the days.