BECHE-DE-MER. 279 



colour, so that it looks like a loaf of bread. It is of a gristly 

 consistence, and covered with small warts. It has no appear- 

 ance of eyes, or power of locomotion, so far as one can discern, 

 and therefore seems to represent one of the lowest forms of 

 animal life. The Mche-de-mer, blind and helpless as he is, may 

 be regarded as an intelligent animal in comparison. This tau- 

 mala appears to live on suction. When taken out of the water 

 it can exist for a considerable time, if not too much exposed to 

 the hot sun. It is never eaten. The islanders turn it into a 

 skull-cap, or species of helmet, which they manage by cutting 

 round the under side and scooping out the inside. When dry 

 it becomes as hard as bone. Beche-de-mer fishers sometimes cut 

 these creatures into strips and cure them with their proper 

 beche-de-mer, a smart practice which has the effect of depre- 

 ciating the correct article in the markets of the Celestial 

 Empire. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



TURTLE AND SPONGE FISHING. 



TURTLE-SHELL is another of the valuable products of the 

 Pacific. There are throughout the isles of the great Coral 

 Sea certain laws (varying in detail according to local circum- 

 stances) in connection with turtle-fishing. In a majority of 

 the groups whoever sees the turtle first (man or woman) 

 claims the shell. This is valuable to the natives quite apart 

 from the dollars or trade offered by the chance white trader. 

 Articles of domestic use and grotesque ornaments are made 

 of it. Long strips of it cover the seams of their canoes, and 

 of the thickest portion they make ear-rings, finger-rings, 



