272 THE CORAL LANDS OF THE PACIFIC. 



whale-ships, and forks with many prongs, of the same sort as 

 gold-diggers use, and buckets. The preliminary operation is 

 to build two houses one for the curing of the fish, which is 

 done by smoking, and the other for storage. These are rude 

 sheds of palm-leaves, closed round on all sides with mats of 

 coarse material. The thatch must be watertight, for though 

 salt water does no harm to cured beche-de-mer, rain-water 

 entirely destroys its value. The smoke-house is built of an 

 oblong shape, and has inside it two sets of stages made of thin 

 sticks, fastened horizontally to a strong framework. A narrow 

 passage is left between these, and underneath are two drains 

 dug in the ground, wherein to make fires to create smoke. 

 The terms upon which the labourers are engaged for beche-de- 

 mer fishing depend on the circumstances of the case. 



The natives, though unable to read or write, or understand 

 English, have a great liking for written agreements, and 

 although the white men who draw these up alone can compre- 

 hend them, it must in fairness be stated that as a rule the con- 

 ditions are faithfully fulfilled on both sides. The islanders are 

 fond of giving a sobriquet to any white man with whom they 

 engage in business, and the following is a verbatim copy of a 

 l>cclie-de-mer fishery treaty : 



' We, men and women of Nukunivano, ivhose marks are put at the 

 bottom of this paper, agree to go with the Captain Longbeard to the 

 Island of Gannet Cay, and to fish for beche-de-mer, and to fish for 

 six moons ; and to be paid, each man or tvoman, fourteen fathoms 

 of calico, or twenty-one plugs of tobacco per moon, or other things as 

 ^^e like, such as knives and needles, at the value as ive have befoi'e 

 agreed ; and at the end of six moons to be returned to our homes, if 

 Hie wind should be fair for us to come back at that time. The chief, 

 tuhose name is Dogfish, shall superintend the icork. The Captain 

 Longbeard shall tell the Chief Dogfish what the people are to do, and 



