Cephalopods, etc., as Food. 



125 



morning. An hour's pull in the whaleboat brought us to 

 the very spot to which they were to come. We found 

 several natives already collected there in boats and canoes, 

 all anxiously looking out who should get the first ' balolo.' 

 This they discovered by sitting with their hands in the 

 water as the canoe was gently paddled about. Presently 

 there was great shouting — nets were put out, and the 

 excitement commenced. At first our nets did very well ; 

 but soon the balolos became too numerous for them to be 

 of any use, and they were caught by the hands and thrown 

 into the baskets with which the boats were filled. We 

 placed a white handkerchief four inches below the surface 

 of the water, but the little creatures were so thick above it 

 that it was quite invisible. At first I could not make up 

 my mind to touch them, but seeing ever>^ one else doing 

 so, I summoned up all my courage, plunged in my hands, 

 and grasped a goodish number, of which however I got rid 

 as quickly as possible. The little slimy things twist round 

 the hand in half a second. They are of course perfectly 

 harmless, swim very fast, and the longer ones have some- 

 times five or six coils in the body. When at the thickest, 

 they are all entangled one in another, presenting a \^ry 

 curious appearance, as they are of various shades of green, 

 brown, and white. As the sun gains power, they disappear, 

 and about eight or nine o'clock you can scarcely find one. 

 It is always in November they come in such masses, just 

 after the last quarter of the moon, and they rise with the 

 tide. As soon as the natives have gathered all they can, 

 they make fires and ovens to cook them. Small quantities 

 of ' balolo ' are tied up in bread-fruit leaves, and have to lie 

 in the oven from 12 to 18 hours. When all is cooked, the 

 natives expect a heavy shower of rain, as they say to put 



