Deep-Sea Fishing in Polynesia . 
I 2 I 
—generally a small shark hook, purchased from 
the local white trader. If the shank of the 
hook is not of sufficient length, the line for 
about 3ft. up is seized round with wire, so 
as to prevent the pala from biting the line and 
escaping. A whole flying fish is used for bait, 
and the time chosen for the sport is the dawn. 
Five men generally form the complement of a 
pala canoe, four to paddle, and the fifth (who 
acts as steersman as well) attends to the line. 
At a distance of a mile or so from the land, 
pieces of flying fish are thrown overboard at 
intervals, as the canoe is urged swiftly along. 
A swirl and splash astern denotes that a pala is 
following the canoe and devouring the pieces of 
fish. The baited line is then dropped astern 
and allowed to trail out for, perhaps, 50 yards 
or so, the paddles urging the canoe to increased 
speed, for the greater the speed the better 
chance of the fish seizing the bait. Another 
splash much nearer the canoe, and the steers¬ 
man, dropping his paddle, takes the line in 
both hands, and hauls it in as quickly as 
possible, while the four paddlers urge the 
canoe along at topmost speed. Suddenly the 
steersman feels the stout line tauten, and at 
