64 FUNAFUTI ATOLL. 



Various hooks (which will later be described more fully in the 

 appropriate section) were designed for different methods of angling. 

 Large wooden hooks were baited with split fish and sunk scores of 

 fathoms for the "palu" and other deep sea fish. Pearl shell hooks 

 t( bawonga," were trailed unbaited over the surface to tempt the 

 bonito with their gleaming nacre. Large almost ringed hooks, 

 the "matou tifa," were formerly carved out of pearl shell or hard 

 coral, but these have passed out of use. Though special modes 

 of fishing, as for palu and bonito, still engage the ancient types of 

 hooks used by past generations, yet for ordinary sport the metal 

 hooks of Europeans are in great demand and constant use. 

 European fishing lines I did not see used, the (probably superior) 

 native cord of Broussonetia being invariably employed. A 

 favourite bait is the scarlet hermit crab which may be at any 

 time .gathered ensconced in a borrowed Turbo shell, among coral 

 blocks and palm debris in the most barren parts of the islet. This 

 in Funafuti is known as the " ounga koula," Mr. Whitelegge calls 

 it Cenobita olivieri. My tutor in Funafuti fishing taught me to 

 tie the crab bait securely to the hook with English thread. 



An extraordinary bait, attractive where all others failed was 

 the ink of the "Feki" or Sepia. This was preserved, dried to the 

 consistency of tar, and before using was moistened with kerosene; 

 it was esteemed more fatal if a little European perfume were 

 added. For use, this was just smeared on the tip of an unbarbed 

 hook. It was with some incredulity that I first received this ; 

 but experience soon showed that when fishing, not " for the pot," 

 but for the Museum collecting drum, I could obtain numerous 

 dainty species which declined a free passage to Sydney when lured 

 by any ordinary bait. Fish are often devoured raw the moment 

 they are pulled from the sea.* The heavy toll taken by friends 

 and relations when a successful angler returns sometimes induces 

 him to snatch a meal while he may. 



Two kinds of fishing nets were observed, a seine and a cast net. 

 They were of the type common throughout the Pacific, and are 

 well described by Turner, f As has been observed by Moresby 

 in New Guinea, Turner in Samoa, and Guppy in the Solomons, j 

 the mesh and meshing are identical with European modes. A 

 torn net belonging to one of our party was readily repaired by 

 a native. 



The native crab pots I did not see, they were described to me 

 as wove basket-wise out of palm rootlets. No line and floating 

 buoy was used to mark the sunken trap. The fish, they said, 



* To show the prevalence of this custom throughout Polynesia, I will 

 merely cite Fanning's notice of it in the Marquesas in the east (Voyages 

 round the World, 1834, p. 145), and Marinei's in Tonga in the west. 



f Turner Zee. tit., p. 167. J Guppy loc. tit., p. 154. 



