NATIVE MODE OF FISHING. 197 



four feet. I had a g'ood opportunity of witnessing- 

 the mode of fishing- with the seine practised by the 

 natives of the Louisiade. One of these nets^ appa- 

 rently of the usual dimensions_, measured 130 feet 

 in lengthy with a depth of a yard only. The upper 

 border is supported^ when in the water^ by nume- 

 rous small thin triangular floats of lig-ht wood^ and 

 the lower marg-in is strung* with a series of perfo- 

 rated shells— chiefly single valves of Area scapha — 

 serving" as sinkers. The cordag-e is of a white 

 colour^ very lig-ht^ and neatly laid up^ the meshes 

 are an inch wide^ and the centre of the net ends in 

 a purse-like bag*. A party of eig-ht men poled 

 along* the shallow marg-in of the reef in their canoe^ 

 using- the seine at intervals. When a shoal of fish 

 is seen^ three men lay hold of the net and jump out 

 into the water^ — it is run out into a semicircle^ the 

 men at the extremes moving* onwards with one 

 person in advance on each side splashing* the water 

 with long" poles and stones to drive the fish toAvards 

 the centre. The canoe now makes a sweep and 

 comes up to the opening*^ when the net is closed in 

 upon it^ and hauled in-board with its contents. 

 This mode of fishing- would appear to be practised 

 also at some of the islands of Polynesia^ for similar 

 seines are exhibited in the ethnolog-ical g'allery of 

 the British Museum fi^om the Feejees and elsewhere. 

 In addition to the seine^ we had occasionally ob- 

 served in canoes alongside the ship a small scoop- 

 net with a very long* handle^ and once procured a 



