220 Fish-Poisoning in the Hawatian Islands 
The fishing was done in fresh-water streams, on reefs, along 
rocky shores, and in tidal pools. In stream fishing a dam was 
built across a brook—few Hawaiian streams are more than moun- 
tain brooks—and the hola was placed in the stream above. It is 
said that very large catches of gobies and shrimps were taken 
with dip nets in the newly formed pool. According to some ac- 
counts the mud was stirred up when the poison was placed in the 
stream, as the mere disturbance of the mud had the effect of dis- 
lodging the fish. The same method was used in driving fish down 
stream to be caught by sieve-weirs. 
In sea fishing along the shores and the reefs, the hola was 
enclosed in loose packages made of grass, of aa niu (sheath fibre 
of coco palm-leaf stems), or possibly of some other porous mate- 
rial. In later times an ordinary sack was employed. The package 
was placed for a few minutes at the mouth of a hole where fish 
were known to be, or was passed slowly along the base of a large 
boulder. The fishing was always confined to a small area, for on 
coming in contact with the narcotic, the fish that could escape 
naturally darted into the open and were caught in a seine placed 
for the purpose. Some fishermen dispensed with the seine and 
took the chance of catching the fleeing fish with dip nets. Most of 
the fish, according to the report of the natives, were overcome so 
quickly by the poison that they could not escape and were taken 
with the hand or dip net. Occasionally the package of hola was 
attached to a stick for more convenient application. 
While at Honaunau, on the Island of Hawaii, the writer had an 
opportunity of witnessing the process of preparing hola and later 
the use of it in a tidal pool. It came about in this way. In many 
places along the shore the surface of the ancient lava flow showed 
umnistakable marks of pounding. Markings were found in an ir- 
regular belt following the line of the sea and extending inland 
about a hundred feet. The natives explained that these markings 
were where auhuhu, one of the plants used for fish-poisoning, had 
been pounded, and that the use of the plant had continued until 
goats exterminated it in that vicinity. The natives then described 
the process in detail. As further inquiry brought out the informa- 
tion that awhuhw could be obtained in a cattle pasture at Kauleoli, 
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