Tools Used in Netting. 



107 



The tools used were, the mesh stick or gauge (Fig. loi ) and the shuttle (Fig. 102), 

 made of whale ivor^' and rib, human and quadruped boue, tortoise shell, wood or bambu. 

 The gauge, f/a/ia, is a short, thin, flat implement of varying widths. In describ- 

 ing a net, the native put his fingers into the niaka or mesh, and if the first finger filled 

 the space, the mesh was makaJii ; if three fingers were needed, then the mesh was 



inakoht, etc. For sizes be- 

 tween, the words acne or oa 

 were added to the name of the 

 smaller mesh. The following 

 is a table prepared for the 

 writer b}' a native fisherman, 

 with the sizes approximated : 



Nae, % in. 



Nukunuknaula, '2 in. 



Makahi," i in. 



Makahi oene, lYz in. 



Malua, 2 in. 



Malua oa, 2Y1 in. 



Makolu, 5 in. 



Makolu oa, 3_^-2 in. 



Maha, 4 in. 



Mahae, 4 in. and upwards. 



Malewa, 7 in. and upwards. 



The shuttle, Iiia^ is found 

 in two distinct shapes. The 

 more highly esteemed was the 

 form, world wide in adoption, 

 composed of a shaft with an 

 eye at each end, the outer edge 

 of which was cut away to admit the cord. The shank of this is round in cross section and 

 diminishes toward the middle, making a more effedlive tool than that with the flattened 

 or grooved shank, for the native implement allowing of a cylindrical winding could pass 

 more cord through a given mesh. The natives were always very careful when filling 

 their shuttles, passing the cord straight up and down along the shank, then winding on 

 one side crossing the cord and repeating on the other, to attain the cylindrical form. 



The other form, kioe., better known as a net mender, is a round stick of wood 

 about one-third of an inch in diameter and six inches long. The stick for about one- 



'" Contraction for maka, and the nnnit-rals akahi, alua, akolu and aha. The enclitic c on niahae means other, 

 or another. The names maha and )iiaU'zua do not seem to be generally known among the natives. 



FIG. 102. SHUTTLES. 



