118 



porter's journal. 



of an inverted calabash, to prevent those animals from 

 descending them. Agricultural implements consist only 

 of sharp stakes for digging the ground ; those for fishing 

 consist of the net, bone and wooden harpoons, the rod 

 and hne, and fish-hooks formed of the mother-of-pearl, of 

 which, as well as of the bone and wooden harpoons, par- 

 ticular descriptions may be necessary. 



The fish-hooks, made of the mother-of-pearl, are intend- 

 ed chiefly for catching bonetas, and are used in trolling, 

 without bait ; they consist of two pieces, one of which is 

 nearly as long as the finger. The mother-of-pearl, which 

 possesses, naturally, a high and beautiful polish, attracts 

 the fish by its glittering appearance, and serves the double 

 purpose of a bait, and as a shank for the hook, to the 

 lower end of which, a piece of bone is secured on the 

 concave side, bending upwards, and inwards towards the 

 shank, and is sharpened at the point, but without any barb. 

 This serves the purpose of a point to the hook, and where 

 this bone is attached to the mother-of-pearl, a few hog's 

 bristles are secured across to give it in towing the appear- 

 ance of a fish. To the hole, where the bone is attached to 

 the mother-of-pearl, the line is made fast, and passes to 

 the upper part of the piece of shell where it is secured, 

 forming a chord to the arch which it presents. When the 

 fish seizes this bait, and becomes hooked by the point of 

 bone, this cord, by the strain on the line, so secures him 

 to the hook that he rarely disengages himself. The con- 

 trivance is ingenious, and has been adopted by all the 

 South Sea Islanders. 



The harpoon is nearly straight, when made either of 

 bone or w^ood ; the ends slope off to points in different 

 directions ; on one side is a notch cut in to secure it to a 

 pole by means of a slight lashing the opposite side has a 

 jog for the end of the pole to rest against; in the middle 

 of the harpoon is a hole for the harpoon line to be rove 

 through. When the fish is struck, the staff disengages it- 

 self, and the harpoon becomes a toggle, which perfectly 

 secures him. They give the preference, however, to our 

 iron harpoons, which are, in fact, with them, the most 

 valuable form which iron can be put into, as they are much 

 used in striking the sun and devil fish, which frequent the 

 coasts and bays of this island, and although this fish i? 



