THE CAVE FISHERS - the fifth in the series of six Wildergorn Colour In Posters.

In the far South of Wildergorn live the Cave Fishers.

On the west bank of the river Torr, opposite the great Umbrella Trees, the Cave Fishers suspend
their huts from the roofs of the giant caverns known as the Caves of Sevist. These people, gentle
and ingenious, are rarely seen elsewhere in Wildergorn, travelling only up river to the fish markets
of Strake and Watergorn.

To catch the enormous Ribfish, the Cave Fishers rely on the tide, which in these parts, rises
so high that it regularly closes over the tops of the Umbrella Trees, and ebbs so quickly that
boatmen are often stranded in the treetops until the next high tide lifts them away.

The Fishers’ huts are each hung by one line that runs to the ceiling of the cavern, through a stout
pulley, and down again to a brake-wheel mounted on the side of the hut. The line passing through this
brake, is governed by the fishermen, and is attached at its lowest extremity to a large baited hook. As the tide rises, the huts, supported by bags of air, float up toward the roof of the cave - causing the hooks to sink down into the sea.

When the sea ceases to rise, the fishermen apply their brakes and settle down to await tide-fall. Thus, as the waters ebb, the huts are left swaying in the wind, high above the Torr estuary, while the hooks search down into the deep waters for the bite of a Ribfish. Feeling the judder of his hut at the strike of a catch, a Fisher will release the brake and inevitably, the fish will be drawn to the surface by the weight of the descending hut.

At low tide, riding the backs of the long-necked Queel or Sea-Dragons, the Traders arrive, moving from hut to hut to cut down the Ribfish. Then, as the Fishers rebait their hooks, the Traders, Ribfish in tow, depart for the markets.