526 



THE LAST CRUISP: OF THE CARNEGIE 



By one o'clock the harbor was aflame for each canoe carried flares 

 and lanterns. The long wait was made an occasion for singing 

 and good-natured horse-play. By two, false alarms were sounded 

 here and there along the line. By two-thirty, although the moon 

 was not yet visible in the harbor, the sea was swarming with jade- 

 green and ivory "palolo"-worms, swimming in every direction a 

 few inches below the surface — elusive creatures which broke into 

 fragments if grasped too roughly. We had brought bottles con- 



S.VMOAN Boys in Their "Pao-paos" or Outrigger Canoes 



These little dugouts are handled with marvelous skill in the turbulent waters of the 

 reef. 



taining formaldehyde which we proceeded to fill to the disgust of 

 the natives. For was not the "palolo" the year's greatest delicacy 

 — and made to be eaten? With specimens secured, we each 

 turned to and dropped a handful of these wriggling worms into 

 our mouths, while the others bore horrified witness. The experi- 

 ence was disappointing for the fragile creatures melted in the 

 mouth, leaving only the taste of sea-water. 



Mysterious as this natural calendar is, some of us were more 

 impressed by our first meeting with fish that climb rocks and 

 trees ! We had all read stories about the weird habits of certain 



