200 Wild Life in Southern Seas. 
the dry coral (for it is low tide), and take up 
our positions where we can drop our lines 
directly beneath us into the water. 
The doctor stands on a little knoll of coral 
nearest the beach. Gafalua, his son and daughter 
and myself go further out towards the outer 
reef, and we are just about to drop our lines 
when a cry of alarm from the doctor is followed 
by a shriek of laughter from the girl, as a huge, 
yellow eel, with red eyes and snaky head, raises 
its sinuous body from out its coral niche beneath 
the surgeon’s feet, and shows its glistening, 
needle-like fangs. The doctor seizes a piece 
of coral and strikes it a stunning blow on the 
head, and his attendant native gives the hideous 
sea-serpent the coup de grace by snicking off its 
head with his long knife. Tough customers, 
these eels ; minus his head he still wriggles and 
twists his greasy, orange-yellow body about, as 
if losing his head were a matter of no particular 
moment. The doctor baits his hook with a small 
bit of fish and throws out his line. Gafalua, 
poising himself on a little coral knoll, lowers 
his rod and trails the shining pearl-shell hook, 
innocent of bait, backwards and forwards 
through the water, and then Vaitupu calls out 
