FIJI-NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITION 43 
he anchored it, but it washed ashore, filled before morning and 
the heavy waves pounded it badly. Finally, we got Mr. Sadler 
to take it to Nukulau where there is a protected wharf, and we 
did not attempt to use it at all. 
Alfred took great delight in spearing fish. One day he brought 
in a big parrot-fish, red and blue, weighing six or eight pounds. 
For some reason he wore a sort of wreath made of a vine or weed 
called ‘‘mile-a-minute,’’ giving him the appearance of a victor in 
the Olympian games. The fish was served for dinner but was not 
particularly palatable. Another time I was with him on the reef 
when he speared a four-foot shark at a distance of about 30 feet 
and there was a lively fight before he finally dispatched it with 
the crow-foot bar. He declared that this particular shark with 
black-tipped fins and tail was his ‘‘devil’’ because one of them 
had bitten a generous piece out of his grandfather. He main- 
tained that it was good to eat but tabu to him. Kalidin, the cook, 
said that it was very bad fish to eat, but it seemed 10 be a habit 
with him to deny any statement made by the Fijians. Always 
ready for gastronomic experiments, I ordered it cooked for din- 
ner; Wylie and I pronounced it excellent, equal to any ordinary 
table fish and better than any other shark I had tasted. 
Another experiment in the eating line resulted in great hilarity. 
A big black holothurian, abundant on the flats, was brought ashore 
by Alfred who said it was good to eat. We told the cook to serve 
it and it looked rather attractive; the black outer skin contrast- 
ed with the ivory white body wall, which somewhat resembled the 
meat of a fresh coconut. We found it rather tough but easily 
eut with an ordinary table knife. Then the fun began. The tines 
of the fork punctured the meat easily enough but it could not be 
lifted to the mouth on account of its remarkable elasticity. As 
soon as the pressure of spearing was released, it fairly snapped 
off the fork as if actuated by a spring! The thing was so un- 
expected and extraordinary, and the expression on the face of the 
diner so ludicrous that the others fairly roared with laughter. 
Again and again we tried to use the fork after the manner of 
polite society but found that it simply could not be done. After- 
ward we took huge delight in witnessing the attempts of a be- 
lated member of our party to dine on boiled holothurian. As a 
matter of fact the thing was tough, almost tasteless and no addi- 
tion to our cuisine. 
Many of the coconut plams on Makuluva have their leaves 
