Bait and Grounds 409 
the “sword” he crept upon schools of small 
sardines or “hard heads,” which hugged the 
shore, and which were intended to lure the gray 
snapper to its death. Sighting a school, he 
would drop the cast-net on the sands and wade 
out into the water knee-deep, then coming 
slowly in, apparently not moving, creeping upon 
a brown spot six feet across, directly at the 
surface. When within reach the cimeter was 
raised, coming down with terrific force, cutting 
through the school, and maiming thirty or more 
fishes, all that were needed. At the upper end 
of the lagoon, really the interior of a growing 
atoll, where the water was shallow, the ripple 
on the surface told of schools of mullets, and 
the net was taken from his shoulders and 
manceuvred for several moments as he slowly 
waded out in their direction. The cast-net 
when spread out represented a circle from six 
to ten feet in diameter. The circumference of 
the circle was lined with lead beads or sink- 
ers, each an inch in length, and from the cir- 
cumference to the centre extended six or eight 
stout cords which passed through an orifice lined 
with leather; these met and joined; to this was 
fastened another cord eight or ten feet in length. 
