Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
12. The Drug Of Our Lady The Moon
Violencefromthewindandwaves,andpeltingfromfirestonesoutoftheskyaretheirdailyportion;thegreatbeaststhatdwellintheseashuntthemwithsavagepersistence,anditisararedaywhenatleastsomeoneofthefishers’guildfailstocomehometoanswerthetally.
Moreover,themannerwhichprevailsofcatchingfishisnotwithoutitsrisks.
Toeachmanthereisalargesea-fowltakenasanestling,andtrainedtothework.Aringofbronzeisrounditsnecktopreventitsswallowingthespoilforwhichitdives,andforeachfishittakesandfliesbackwithtotheboat,theheadandtailandinwardsaregiventoitforareward,theringbeingremovedwhilstitmakesthemeal.
Thebirdsarefaithful,oncetheyhavegotatraining,andareseldomknowntodeserttheirowners;but,althoughthefisherstreatthemmorekindlythantheydotheirwives,orchildrenoftheirownbegetting,thelifeofthebirdsisprecariouslikethatoftheirmasters.Thelargerbeastsandfishoftheseapreyonthemastheypreyonthesmallerfish,andsowhatevercaremaybelavisheduponthem,theyaremostliabletosuddencuttingoff.
Andhereisanotherthingthatmakesthelifeofthefishermostprecarious:ifhisfishingbirdbeslain,andthesecondwhichhehasintrainingalsocomebyillfortune,heisleftsuddenlybereftofallutensilsoflivelihood,and(foraughthisguild-fellowscare)hemaygostarve.
