POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
297 
Fishmg Canoe, 
These, and a variety of other methods of fishing, are 
pursued by day-light; but many kinds of fish are taken 
by night: sometimes the fishery is carried on by moon¬ 
light, occasionally in the dark, but fishing by torch-light is 
the most picturesque. The torches are bunches of dried 
reeds firmly tied together. Sometimes they pursue their 
nocturnal sport on the reef, and hunt the totara, or hedge¬ 
hog fish. Large parties often go out to the reef; and it 
is a beautiful sight to behold a long line of rocks illumi¬ 
nated by the flaring torches. These the fishermen hold 
in one hand, and stand with the poised spear in the 
other, ready to strike as soon as the fish appears. 
In the rivers they also fish by torch-light, especially 
for eels; and though the scene is different, its impres¬ 
sion is not inferior. I have often been struck with the 
effect of a band of natives walking along the shallow 
parts of the rocky sides of a river, elevating a torch 
with one hand, and perhaps a spear in the other; while 
the glare of their torches was thrown upon the over¬ 
hanging boughs, and reflected from the agitated surface 
of the stream. Their own bronze-coloured and lightly 
clothed forms, partially illuminated, standing like figures 
in relief; while the whole scene has appeared in bright 
II. 2 Q 
