78 



Art. VU.— A. Matsnmura : 



good-provider entitles him."^ It will thus be seen how important 

 is the art of fishing to the welfare of the islanders. 



Pearl-shells are the material used for making fishing-hooks» 

 The stem of a hook consisting of this material has two or three 

 notches cut on the lateral sides of its lower part. To these 

 notches a needle-like piece is fixed, which is obtained from the same 

 material. This piece is slightly carved inward but it does not 

 exactly form a barb. In order to attract fish, a tuft of tree, fibre 

 or a piece of cotton cloth, from 5 to 7 cm. in length, is put 

 on the hook and the effect is heightened by the lustre of the 

 shell, of which it is made as 

 above stated (Fig. 2!), a). Sometimes 

 neadle-like pieces are of tortoise-shell 

 (Fig. 29, b). In any case, the hooks 

 are not. baited, and the lines are let 

 into tlie sea, while the canoe is 

 moving. 



Partington's Album, PI. 177, shows 

 the barbed hook used in Kusaie, where 

 we did not succeed in collecting such 

 specimens. We were told on that 

 island, that stems of hooks had formerly been in use as a medium 

 of exchange and that they came to be called " Kusaie money." 

 These hooks acquired the value of money, probably on account of 

 the scarcity of pearl-shells which form, as described above, the 

 material for hooks. In Yap, for instance, white pearl-shells are 

 used as money, simply, because such shells must be obtained from 

 other islands. 



These hooks are also found in other islands. Those met with 



IF. W. Christian, ''The Caroline Islands," p. 126. 



Fig. 29. — FisLiug-hojks Ponape. 



