220 I'ish-f'oisonini:; in llir llira'uiian Ishinds 



Thf fishing- was done in frcsli-walcr streams, on reefs, along 

 rockv sliores, and in tidal i)()«)]s. In stream fishing a dam was 

 Imilt across a l)rook — few Hawaiian streams are more than moun- 

 tain l)rooks — and tlie hola was placed in the stream above. It is 

 said that very large catches of gobies and shrimps were taken 

 with dip nets in the newly formed pool. According to some ac- 

 counts the mud was stirred up when the poison was placed in the 

 stream, as the mere disturbance of the mud had the effect of dis- 

 lodging the fish. The same method was used in driving fish down 

 stream to be caught by sieve- weirs. 



In sea fishing along the shores and the reefs, the hola was 

 enclosed in loose packages made of grass, of aa itiit (sheath fibre 

 of coco palm-leaf stems), or possibly of some other porous mate- 

 rial. In later times an ordinary sack was employed. The package 

 was placed for a few minutes at the mouth of a hole where fish 

 were known to be, or was passed slowly along the base of a large 

 boulder. The fishing was ahvays confined to a small area, for on 

 coming in contact with the narcotic, the fish that could escape 

 naturally darted into the open and were caught in a seine placed 

 for the purpose. Some fishermen dispensed with the seine and 

 took the chance of catching- the fleeing fish with dip nets. Most of 

 the fish, according to the report of the natives, were overcome so 

 quickl}- by the poison that they could not escape and were taken 

 with the hand or dip net. Occasionally the package of hola was 

 attached to a stick for more convenient ap]:)lication. 



\\'hile at Honaunau, on the Island of Hawaii, the writer had an 

 opportunity of witnessing the process of preparing hola and later 

 the use of it in a tidal pool. It came about in this way. In many 

 places along the shore tlie surface of the ancient lava flow showed 

 unmistakable marks of pounding. Alarkings were found in an ir- 

 regular belt following tlie line of the sea and extending inland 

 about a hundred feet. The natives explained that these markings 

 were where aithnhu, one of the plants used for fish-poisoning, had 

 been pounded, and that the use of the plant had continued until 

 goats exterminated it in that vicinity. The natives then described 

 the process in detail. As further inquiry brought out the informa- 

 tion that auhnhu could be obtained in a cattle pasture at Kauleoli, 



[4] 



