OF LA PEROUSfi. U^ 



A great many canoes furrounded our fhips ; 

 none of them, however, were permitted to come 

 alongfide. Several idanders, tired of not being 

 able to carry on any kind of traffic, amufed 

 themfelves with fidiing with nets, which 

 were nearly eight meters long by a meter and 

 a half wide, and the meflies of which were 

 about a fourth of a decimeter fquare. From 

 the fhape of thefe nets, feveral of which we had 

 already purchafed, wehad imagined that the inha- 

 bitants ufed them as we do the feine, by dragging 

 them over the beach ; but we vrere greatly 

 aftoniflicd to fee thefe caO: in the middle of the 

 harbour, much in the fame manner as we throw 

 the fweep-net. Pieces of coral, attached to 

 their lower edge, carried them quickly down, 

 towards the bottom of the fea; then the fiflier- 

 men immediately dived, in order to contract 

 tlic two extremities by means of fmall lines that 

 are faftcncd to ir, and thus to take our the 

 fifn which they put into theh* canoes. It is ob- 

 vious, th^it, to catch any in this manner in deep 

 water, there mull: be a great abundance. Thefe 

 fifliermen, doubilcfs, gave thenifcWes fo much 

 trouble, only bccaule they were violently tor- 

 mented by hunger; for, not having in tlu-iir 

 canoes any means of drefiing their fifh, they 

 were glad to eit it raw. 



I 2 Abou: 



