COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 745 



the whole length, aud about 1 6 inches wide in the center, running to a sharp point at 

 each end. On the outward trip about two-thirds of the box is submerged, and as the 

 sides are perforated, water is admitted freely. On the return, however, as the box 

 is empty, it is unlashed and placed on top of the cross pieces, in order not to impede 

 the progress of the canoe. After the aku fishing is over the box is either hauled out 

 on the land until the next season, or moored close to shore in a sheltered position and 

 used for keeping bait temporarily, but is not taken out to the grounds, as it is too 

 big and unwieldy for one canoe to handle. Much smaller boxes of the same general 

 style are frequently employed, also square and oblong boxes of varying sizes, per- 

 forated, or with slats set close together. 



The Japanese frequently use small boxes about a foot long hy 8 inches wide by 8 

 inches deep, perforated on the sides and ends with small holes. These are attached 

 to the ])oat by a short piece of twine and allowed to tow alongside. 



Some of the Japanese also carry bait in one of the smaller of the wells in the 

 bottom of their sampans. 



VESSEL FISHING. 



In view of the fine fishing grounds in deep water and on the reefs and shoals 

 within reasonable distance from the islands, it is surprising that there are no vessels 

 engaged in fishing. Several attempts have been made to establish vessel fisheries, 

 but for various reasons they have met with failure. 



The last attempt was in 1898, when a number of persons in Honolulu formed a 

 company and, at a cost of $6,600, had the gasoline schooner MaJolo built to engage in 

 this business. She was fitted out with six seines and one bag net, at a cost of f 1,000, 

 and carried a crew of four men. The fishermen were Japanese, who were hired at 

 Honolulu. They had their own boats and lines, and the schooner towed them to the 

 fishing grounds. A station was established at Palaau district, on Molokai, and an old 

 fish pond there was purchased with the purpose of cleaning it out and using it for 

 catching fish which came in through the entrance. It was the intention of the com- 

 pany to hire fishermen on the islands to work the nets, while the Japanese would 

 engage in line-fishing, and the schooner would make regular trips to Honolulu with 

 the catch. The fishing was to be done on the reefs about the west and south sides of 

 the island of Molokai. 



Difficulty was at once encountered in the unreliability of the Japanese crew, who 

 would go to Lahaina and other places and sell their catch. Another crew was col- 

 lected, composed largely of white men, mostly beach combers, and they were taken 

 to the fishing grounds, to work the nets principallJ^ This plan also failed, owing to 

 ignorance of the business on the part of the crew, and a third effort was made, this 

 time with a crew of native Hawaiians and South Sea islanders secured at Lahaina. 

 Twelve of these men were put on the island of Lanai and supplied with boats, nets, 

 lines, and provisions. After a few hauls the vessel left for Honolulu with the catch, 

 the understanding with the fishermen being that they were to continue fishing to 

 secure a second cargo during her absence. When the vessel returned, however, half 

 of the fishermen had deserted and the few remaining were carried to Lahaina. The 

 whole business was abandoned in August, 1899, after the failure of an effort to get 

 another gang on Maui. 



