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40 CONSTANTINOPLE AND ITS ENVIRONS;
BALUK HANA.
This literally means the house or edifice of fish. It is one of the numerous stages
erected on many parts of the Bosphorus, from the Euxine to the Propontis, to arrest the
numerous shoals of fish that are migrating from sea to sea through this channel. It is
formed in this manner:—posts are driven into the water at a short distance from the
shore, with which they sometimes communicate by a platform; these are strengthened by
cross-posts, forming a ladder by which the platform is ascended. On the summit is
raised a shed, ten or twelve feet above the surface, over which is drawn a rude covering
of mats. Below, is an enclosed area, marked by piles, into which the passing fish enter,
and cannot again make their way out. A man continually on the watch in the shed
gives notice of this to the fishermen on the shore, when the nets are drawn, and the
whole shoal generally captured.
The progress of these shoals is frequently marked by flights of gulls and other aquatic
birds, which, when the net is drawn, rush down among the fishermen, and fearlessly and
clamorously demand their share, which is never withheld from them. These wild fowl
are so tame by use and impunity, that they are sometimes seen disputing with a Turk
for a particular fish; and the man almost always yields to the bird.
The fish usually taken in these nets are of various sizes, and many peculiar to this
region. The largest is the xijjhias, or sword-fish, sometimes attaining the length of six
or eight feet in the body, and a circumference of three or four. From its snout is projected a flat horn, a yard or more in length, exactly resembling a Highland broad-sword,
from whence the fish derives its name. Its flesh is red, and when exposed for sale in the
market, a junk of it might be mistaken for a round of beef. The next in size is the
thunny; the various kinds of scomber, down to the size of small mackerel fry; the Infer
and the kephalos, called so by the Greeks, from the size of its head. Among the flatfish is a species of turbot, of excellent quality, covered with hard cartilaginous knobby
scales like a bossy shield, and thence called by the Turks, kalchan, or the buckler-fish.
These, and an infinite variety of others, crowd the waters in incredible quantities, for
nine months in the year; and the boats engaged in taking them are so numerous, as to
stretch from side to side of the strait in such a way as to bridge the current; and the
eagerness to take them is so great, that all ranks indulge in it, from the sultan to the
hummal. Mustapha, the brother of Mahmoud, was engaged in it when he heard of the
insurrection in favour of Selim—and he left his fishing, to strangle his cousin. The
present sultan is so fond of it, that one of his apartments at Beshiktash has a trapdoor over the water, from whence he often angles. Nor is this amusement confined to
the day : by night the waters are covered with many lights, which float in various mazes,
and form picturesque objects round the islands of the Propontis. A brazier is projected
from the prow, in which a glowing fire is kept up continually, and the fish, attracted by |
