COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 505 



away there is no convenient iiuii'ket, for, with the exception of the 

 settlements on the reservation, which contain a])out one-third of the 

 total population of the island, there are ver^^ few people living on its 

 northern side, the most of the inhabitants being- on the southern, or 

 leeward, side. To reach these by water would necessitate a long- jour- 

 ney around one or the other end of the island, while to go overland to 

 the nearest settlement would necessitate an 11-mile journey on foot 

 aft(n- the cliff at the back of the reservation had l)een surmounted. 



In 1003, in order to till out the very small catch of their own fisher- 

 men, the board of health purchased 15,753 pounds of fresh fish from 

 the fishermen of Halawa, a small nonleprous settlement some few 

 mile;^ to the westward of the reservation. Even with this addition the 

 total amount to be distributed among an afflicted population of 855 

 was pitifull}' small, amounting virtually to 30.35 pounds per year to 

 each person. There has been complaint by persons unacquainted with 

 the circumstances that the board of health Avas making fresh fish too 

 important an item in the diet of the lepers, but the above would cer- 

 tainly indicate that this contention was not well founded. Some salted 

 and dried fish is also distributed among the lepers, but I am informed 

 that the amount is quite small. 



THE FISHERIES OF XIIHAU. 



This, the most westerly of the inhabited islands of the group, is 

 15 miles from Kauai, and has an area of 97 square miles. The greater 

 part of it is a low plain composed of an uplifted coral reef and sub- 

 stance washed down from the mountains, while the hilly portion is 

 destitute of peaks and ridges. It has a population of 172, is used 

 exclusively as a sheep ranch, and fishing is carried on in a very desul- 

 tory manner by the employees of the ranch and their families. Should 

 more fish be caught tl-.an they can consume the surplus is carried 

 across the strait to Waimea, on Kauai, and sold there. A portion of 

 the catch is dried and sold. 



The followino- ta])les show the cor.dition of the fisheries in 1903: 



Tahh' s]i(ju-hi(j tJif Jishcnnen engaged and tlie boats, apparatus, and slwre property vscd lii 

 the fisheries of Niihau in 1903. 



