Z12 fisJi-Voisoiiing in llic Ha-zcaiiaii Jslaiuls 



(Plate X\'1I B). The mass was again pounded, until it was re- 

 duced t" tlu> fineness of chaff. It was then gathered up ver)^ care- 

 fullv, even to llie scrajiing of the mailed hhre from the hedrock, the 

 whole process of i)ounding taking tweni_\- minutes. The resulting 

 hohi was a dark rich green in color, and was slightly moist to the 

 touch. 



The hold and grass were carried quickly to the edge of the 

 pool. The grass was takeii up in small hunches, which were hent 

 and twisted roughly into "spoons", and a douhle handful of hoUi 

 was placed in the bowl of each (Plate X\TII A). The employ- 

 ment of the grass was to avoid the hites of eels. As rapidly as 

 possible the filled spoons were thrust under the rocks and into the 

 holes in the sides of the pool, and were then withdrawn, leaving 

 the Iwla behind (Plate XVIII B). The spoons were quickly re- 

 filled and re-emptied, but they held together for only about three 

 dips, after which the men used their bare hanrls — apparently there 

 was insufficient time to make new spoons. Throughout, the actions 

 of the men were very quick, as rapid as the needs of photograph- 

 ing would permit ; they seemed anxious to get the Iwla into the 

 water in the freshest condition possible. The stain from the hola 

 had the strong green tint of stagnant salt water. It spread grad- 

 ually through the pool, beginning to show within half a minute. 

 Before the hola was all placed in the water (the operation taking 

 about five minutes) some fish were seen making their way to the 

 entranre of the pool, wdiich was thereupon blocked by dropping 

 the seine on it in a heap. 



Within ten minutes after the first immersion of the poison, 

 the fish (except the eels) were swimming about aimlessly, or float- 

 ing either on or below the surface of the water. ]\Iany were taken 

 with the hand, but most of them with the dip nets. In fifteen min- 

 utes all the fish in sight had been gathered except the eels, which 

 were resistant to the full effects of tlie poison.'^ Some of the lat- 

 ter began to wriggle out of the pool. It was surprising to note that 

 the small ohiia seemed to be aft'ected nuich more slowly than the 

 other and larger fishes. Another poini of interest was the quantity 



'A similar condition was noted on Ponape. Christian, F. W'., The 

 Caroline Islands, p. 126, London. 1899. 



[6] 



