THE TREPAXG-FISHERY. 299 



more nor less than " sea-cucumber." In the so-called 

 " Celestial Empire " it forms the staple of a thriving 

 fishery and an extensive commerce ; and we are told that 

 long before New Holland was discovered by Europeans, 

 the Malays visited its shores to fish for the holothurias 

 abounding in the Australian waters. 



Dumont d'Urville, the French voyager, furnishes an 

 interesting description of this curious fishery. The two 

 frigates under his command, the Astrolabe and the Zelee, 

 had dropped anchor in Raffles Bay ; and there, on an islet, 

 the scientific officers of the expedition erected an observa- 

 tory. 



In his shore rambles, Dumont d'Urville frequently 

 noticed, at numerous points, ranges of low walls, con- 

 structed of dry stones, and arranged in a semicircular form, 

 but joining one another. He had vainly framed conjec- 

 tures as to the possible use of these strange constructions, 

 when a company of Malay fishermen arrived. 



Four prahus, carrying the Dutch flag, entered the bay, 

 and took up their positions at a cable's length from the 

 French observatory. Their crews then proceeded to land 

 several large cast-iron caldrons, not less than three feet in 

 diameter, and these they raised upon the low stone dykes 

 we have spoken of, which turned out to be intended for 

 furnaces or fireplaces. Some sheds of bamboo were after- 

 wards run up ; four bundles being set into the ground 

 at the corners of a square, and a rude roof rested upon 

 them. 



The owners of the prahus explained to the French com- 

 modore that, setting out from Macassar towards the close 

 of October, they fished for the holothurias all along the 

 Australian coast, from Melville Island to the Gulf of 



