232 MBUA BAY AND MUTHUAT A. 



height. The roof has a double pitch, falling on each side of the ridge 

 to eaves which are about five feet from the ground. The roof is well 

 thatched, and ought to be perfectly water-tight. There are usually 

 three doors, one at each end, and one in the middle of one of the sides. 

 Throughout the whole length of the building is a row of double 

 staging, called batters, on which reeds are laid. 



On the construction of this staging much of the success of the busi- 

 ness depends. It ought to be supported on firm posts, to which the 

 string-pieces should be well secured by lashing. The lower batter is 

 about four feet from the ground, and the upper from two to three feet 

 above it. Their breadth is from twelve to fourteen feet. Upon the 

 large reeds with which the batters are covered is laid the " fish 

 fence," which is made by weaving or tying small cords together. 

 This is composed of many pieces, the height of each of which is equal 

 to the breadth of the batter. 



A trench is dug under the whole length of the batters, in which a 

 slow fire is kept up by natives, under the direction of one of the mates 

 of the vessel. The earth from the trench is thrown against the sides 

 of the house, which are at least two or three feet from the nearest 

 batter, in order to prevent accident from fire. This is liable to occur, 

 not only from carelessness, but from design on the part of the natives. 

 As a further precaution, barrels filled with water are placed about 

 eight feet apart along both sides of the batters. 



After the house has been in use for about a week, it becomes very 

 liable to take fire, in consequence of the drying and breaking of the 

 material used in the lashings. In this case it is hardly possible to 

 save any part of the building or its contents. To prevent the falling 

 of the stages by the breaking of the lashings, fresh pieces of cordage 

 are always kept at hand to replace those which are charred, and show 

 signs of becoming weak. A constant watch must be kept up night 

 and day, and it requires about fifteen hands to do the ordinary work 

 of a house. 



The fires are usually extinguished once in twenty-four hours, and 

 the time chosen for this purpose is at daylight. The fish are now 

 removed from the lower to the upper batter, and a fresh supply intro- 

 duced in their place. This operation, in consequence of the heat of 

 the batter, is hard and laborious, and fifty or sixty natives are usually 

 employed in it. 



Fire-wood is of course an important article in this process, each 

 picul of biche de mar requiring about half a cord to cure it. This 



