410 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
other, for a handle to which to tie the draw-string. It should be twisted round and 
round above the jointure with a little of the sea convolvulus (pohuehue) with the 
leaves on, so as to throw a little shade in the basket to keep the fish from heing 
drawn up to the surface of the water. In these baskets cooked pumpkins, half- 
roasted sweet potatoes, or raw ripe papayas were placed for bait. The canoes, thus 
provided, would sail right into the midst of a school of these fish; the basket being 
lowered a few feet into the sea, the fish being attracted by the scent of the bait 
would rush into the baskets and feed greedily. As soon as the baskets were full of 
fish they would be drawn up and emptied into the canoe and then lowered again, 
with more bait if necessary, and this would go on till the canoe was loaded or the 
fisherman was tired. These fish are very good eating when they first arrive, as they 
are fat, with liver very much enlarged; after a month they become thinner, not per- 
haps procuring their proper food here, and then taste strong and rank. 
The following describes a basket occasionally used by the natives: 
The ie kala basket is the largest kind of basket used in fishing by the Hawaiians. 
These are round, rather flat, baskets 4 to 5 feet in diameter by 23 to 3 in depth, and 
about 13 across the mouth. A small cylinder or cone of wicker is attached by the 
large end to the mouth and turned inward toward the bottom of the basket. This 
cone or cylinder is quite small at the free end, just large enough for the kala to get 
in. Immediately below the end of this cone, on the bottom of this basket, is placed 
the bait, properly secured, which in the case of the kala is limu kala (a coarse, 
brownish-yellow alga on which this fish feeds and from which it takes its name), 
ripe breadfruit, cooked pumpkins, and half-roasted sweet potatoes, and papayas. 
This basket is called the ie lawe (taking basket). The fishermen generally feed the 
fish at a given place for a week or more before taking any, using for this purpose a 
large basket of the same kind, without the inverted cylinder, and wider in the 
mouth, to allow the fish free ingress and egress. After a week or two of feeding 
they become very fat and fine flavored, as also very tame, and baskets full of fish 
can be drawn up in the taking basket without in the least disturbing those which 
are still greedily feeding in the feeding baskets. These baskets are occasionally used 
for other kinds of fish, substituting the bait known to attract that particular kind, 
but never with the same degree of success as with kala. (Ibid. ) 
The Gilbert Islanders living at Honolulu and Lahaina have introduced 
two new types of baskets. The larger of these has a flat bottom, while 
the rest is the shape of a half circle, the top gradually sloping to the 
rear end. These baskets are about 3 feet long, 2 feet high in front, 
and 15 feet in height in the rear. The outer framework of the basket 
projects about 2 inches beyond the front and back. They are made 
of flexible twigs lashed together with twine. A cone or funnel, 6 to 8 
inches in diameter and about 12 inches long, with the end cut off, is 
inserted at the larger end, the body of the cone being inside of and 
opening into the basket. At the end of the cone a trap door of wicker- 
work, about 4 inches square, is fixed in such a manner that it will open 
by a touch from the outside, but can not be pushed open from the 
inside. The basket is weighted down by stones or two pieces of old 
iron run lengthwise of the basket on the bottom and lashed there. In 
the rear of the basket is a small trap door for removing the fish. 
In fishing, the basket is taken to a good sandy place in 2 to 4 fathoms 
of water, where there is plenty of coral or stones handy. The fisher- 
man then dives and places the basket in a good spot, after which he 
