774 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
tion, and that a great many of the fishing devices have been introduced 
by the natives of the Gilbert Islands. It is probable, however, that 
before these people came to the island the natives paid more attention 
to fishing than they do now. 
Torch fishing is carried on almost every evening when the weather 
is favorable. Soon after the sun sets the canoes paddle across the 
harbor and out through the passage in the reef. The fishing-ground 
being reached, torches of cocoanut husks are lighted. Both the large 
and the small fish are attracted; the large ones are speared, and the 
small ones taken in dip nets. Back and forth, about a half mile off 
the reef, the procession of torches may be seen far into the night. 
At certain seasons considerable quantities of flying-fish are captured 
by **torching.” We were told that on these excursions the fish-car is 
frequently brought into service. 
If fish are plentiful in the first part of the night, and ** torching ” has 
been a success, the fishermen leave the ground early; but if they are 
scarce, the morning is well advanced before the work is abandoned. 
Just at the break of day the fishermen bring in the night’s catch and 
the fish that have been held over in cars. Groups of men and boys 
may be seen coming along the road with large baskets slung over their 
shoulders filled with fish. Occasionally a team is seen laden with fish, 
but for the most part the carrying is done on the shoulders. Long 
distances are covered, partly by canoe and the rest by foot. Many 
fishermen, however, land their catch in canoes on the beach in front 
of the town, and then take it to the market. 
In the market, located in the middle of the town, there is a consid- 
erable variety of fish displayed in amounts of 50 and 100 pounds. It 
is a large 1-story building with the sides open to admit the free circu- 
lation of air. A portion of the floor space is divided into small stalls. 
There are also long tables arranged along the floor, on which the fish 
are placed before the customer in wrappings of fresh leaves and in- 
baskets made of cocoanut leaves. 
The price of fish varies from day to day, according to the supply 
and demand. Asa rule, fish of all kinds bring high prices, owing to the 
difficulty of catching them and their rapid deterioration. Ice is too 
expensive for use, and even if it could be had here at a reasonable 
figure the chances are that very little of it would be used on fish. 
The canoes of Papeete vary but little in shape and are similar in 
construction to those observed at Nukuhiva, previously mentioned. 
The art of canoe-making has rapidly declined since the island has been 
ruled by Europeans. Previous to that period and for some time after, 
the building of canoes was one cf the principal occupations of the 
people throughout the Society Islands and Paumotu group. Skill 
of no mean quality is exhibited in the old-style canoe, now only seen 
in private collections. They were large and composed of many pieces, 
