OOMMEBCIAL FI8HEBIES OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 733 



for removing the fish. When used the basket is taken to a sandy place in 2 to 4 

 fathoms of water, where there is plenty of coral or stones. The fisherman dives 

 and places it in a good spot, then takes pieces of coral rock ajid builds them up 

 and around the basket until it is completely inclosed, so as to form an artificial dark 

 retreat for the fish. The opening to the funnel is left exposed, however, and the fish, 

 seeing the inviting entrance, go into the trap. The basket is left for from two days 

 to a week, when the stones are displaced, the basket hauled up into the canoe and 

 emptied by means of the back door, and then replaced in its former position. 



Hinai puhi is the other form of basket used by the South Sea Islanders. It is 

 oblong, about 25 inches wide, 18 inches high in front, and 3 feet long. The top 

 gradually slopes to the rear, where it is only about 12 inches high. A funnel, 

 or cone, about 8 inches in diameter and 10 inches in depth, extends into the basket 

 in an upward direction, and has an opening on its underside which leads down into 

 a square space about one-half the width of the basket. This space, which begins 

 about halfway of the length of the funnel, runs about 5 inches farther into the 

 basket. From this space another funnel, with a narrow slit opening, leads into the 

 body of the basket, the mouth held taut by lines run from it to the sides. Both 

 funnels are constructed of netting, while the rest of the basket is made from the 

 branches of the guava tree. Bamboo, owing to its lightness, is sometimes used for 

 the top. The branches are lashed together with stout twine, no nails being employed. 

 It takes about a week to make one of these baskets, but they will last a long time. 

 They are used for the capture of the puhi, or moray, which is quite common around 

 the islands. 



FISH TKAPS OB PENS. 



On Pearl Harbor, Oahu, two fish traps are used for catching sharks and large 

 akule (goggler), opelu (mackerel scad), weke (goat-fish), and kawakawa (bonito). 

 The larger, near Puuloa, has two walls which, for a short distance, run out from the 

 shore in parallel lines. Then one of them sweeps out and around, forming a large 

 and almost oval space. A wall is built parallel to the shore and the outer portions 

 of the oval meets it close to one end. The other line from the shore comes out 

 almost to this parallel line and then turns sharply inward for a few feet, and the 

 space between the two, about 4 feet, forms the entrance into the trap. The walls 

 are built of coral. The end of the oval farthest from the entrance is almost bare at 

 low water, while the side next to the gate has about 5 feet of water. At high tide 

 the whole trap is under water. Fish enter it at high water and are caught as the 

 water recedes. They are taken out at low water by means of a small seine. 



SPEARING. 



The natives are veiy expert in fishing with the spear, and use it with equal 

 facility either below or above the surface of the water. The spear is usually a 

 slender pole 6 to 7 feet in length, made of very hard wood, and tipped with a thin 

 piece of iron li to 2 feet in length. Most of the tips are perfectly smooth, but a 

 few have a very slight barb. The spearing of fish is called "ia o" by the natives. 



The spearing of the species inhabiting the rocks in shallow water is carried on 

 under water. Diving to a favorable spot among the rocks, the fisherman braces 

 himself in a half -crouching position and waits for the fish to come. He notices only 



