290 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
The servants of the chief furnished their quantity of 
netting, and the needle with which they wrought was not 
unlike that used by European workmen. As the other 
parties brought in their portions, the chief and his men 
joined them together. On entering the house of Hautea, 
I have found him in a profuse perspiration, toiling in the 
midst of his men at the manufacture of the net. 
The floats were made with short pieces of dry, light, 
buoyant hibiscus; and the bottom was hung with stones, 
generally circular and smooth, about three inches in 
diameter. These were not perforated, but enveloped in 
pieces of the matted fibre of the cocoa-nut husk, tied 
together at the ends, and attached to the lower border of 
the net. 
The first wetting of a new net was formerly attended 
with a number of prayers, offerings, &c. at the temple, and 
on the beach. I recollect, at Afareaitu, when they were 
going to take out, for the first time, a large salmon- 
net, and had put it upon the canoe, the whole party, 
including the fishermen and chiefs of the district, 
kneeled down upon a pebbly beach, and offered a 
prayer to the true God, that they might be successful. 
This was about day-break; and as the sun rose above 
the waves, I saw them rowing cheerfully out to sea. 
Though these nets were called upea ava, salmon-nets, 
a variety of large fish was taken in them; a shark 
was not unfrequently enclosed, which sometimes made 
great havock among the fishermen, before they could 
transfix him with their spears. 
This kind of fishing was followed not only as a means 
of procuring food, but as an amusement, i The chiefs 
were exceedingly fond of it, and often strove to excel. 
Hautea was celebrated for his skill and strength in 
