| Here was one of Inle Lake's most famous scenes: a fisherman with
conical net balancing on one leg and paddling with the other. The
Intha people developed this technique of leg paddling not because it
was picturesque (which it certainly was) but because it enabled them
to work efficiently. The conical frame was thrust to the bottom of
the lake, and the net was then dropped down over surrounded fish. The
standing fisherman had a good angle to see his prey in the shallow
water. By using a leg for paddling, his hands were available for
holding a net or fishing or holding a cigarette. |
