l66 G. A. J. VAN DER SANDE. 



reed, piâr. The thrusting of this weapon was again differently named, viz. c/iU ; from this 

 variety of terms it may be concluded that those spears are used in différent ways or for 

 différent purposes. The lack of barbs seems to indicate that they are driven into the sand 

 of the banks. In Chapter IX a number of shorter fishing spears is mentioned. 



I never saw bow and arroivs used in the common fishing parties, probably because 

 the fish, darting with marvellous rapidity along the bottom, offer too little chance of being 

 hit. Many Papuans hâve a remarkable skill in shooting a fish even if it does not swim quite 

 on the surface. VAN DER GûES [1S58, 179] already praised the cleverness of the H. B. people 

 in this respect; I myself witnessed how a Tobâdi man on board the government-steamer 

 „Zeemeeuw" shot a horn-fish, which was not swimming quite on the surface and immediately after 

 leapt into the water to seize his booty ; undoubtedly this man was acquainted with, and availed 

 himself of, the phenomenon of refraction. In Humboldt Bay the people use arrows with one 

 or more points, sometimes barbed, the longest also used for thrusting; for further détails see 

 Chapter IX. The people of H. B. hâve no opportunity of going along the beach with torches 

 and so getting the fish within shot, as MODERA [1830, 90] relates about the south-west coast, 

 but with their little boats I saw them go on nightly fishing parties to the deeper parts of the 

 inner bay. Judging from the slight motion of the torches there was little or no rowing; the fact is, 

 that the natives await the fish attracted by the light, as PRATT [1906, 172] mentions from 

 British N. G. Also the natives of the village of Kajo Entsâu, situated in the outer bay, carry 

 on the nightly fishing, using spears as well as arrows (KONING [1903, 265]). This nightly 

 fishing seems to be hère the principal thing; just as ERDWEG [1904, 331] relates about Tumleo. 

 He however mentions that the fishermen generally do not allure or await the fish but drive 

 them to shallow places by several illuminated boats. The people of Suwamô (Tanah Merah 

 Bay), according to De CLERCQ and SCHMELTZ [1893, 10 1], hâve even erected in the water 

 stagings with plat for m s, from which to harpoon the fish. 



Fishing with hook and Une I never saw in H. B., still, it is said to take place there, 

 at least according to B.INK [1897, 147], who, however, does not mention whether the hooks 

 are made of Tridacna or Hippopus (FlXSCH [1888 — 93, 190], [1888a, pi. IX, figs. 3 

 and 4]) or of turtle-shell [1888a, pi. IX, fig. 7 and S] as those which are dragged after a 

 rapidly moving vessel, to allure by their glittering the fish of prey to bite. In the west part 

 of Netherlands North N. G. fishing hooks are made of brass wire by the people themselves. 



On Lake Senta ni fishing and repairing nets, as well as diving for fresh water molluscs 

 are left to the women. For the sake of their skill in this respect, many Jôtefa men prefer 

 them as wives to the women of their own tribe. The women who dive for snails go to 

 the shallow places along the banks of the lake. They take a dip net, ferfare, as N°. 589, 

 (PI. XX, fig. 14) with them, in order to gather the snails, fére, either from the bottom or by 

 sieving them out of the mud, and a bamboo to rest on after every dive and in which to put the 

 molluscs. I was informed about the women's diving into four fathoms of water. The woman 

 represented in fig. 107 had also hanging from her bamboo a bundle of small fish; how she 

 had got them I cannot tell. The molluscs, which after being cooked are a very favourite dish 

 (page 3) with the men, are caught ail the year round. 



Another brandi of fishery, of no less importance, however, is limited to a definite season. 

 This refers to a large kind of fish, kâ joi, 2 — 3 feet long, which about the month of 



