144 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
feet from the edges of the shells, the spikes of the 
echinus, &c. They use the angle or the spear in 
fishing at the edge of the reef, when the surf is 
low. I have often, when passing across the bay, 
stopped to gaze on a group of fishermen standing 
on a coral reef, or rock, amidst the roar of the 
billows and the dashing surf and foam, that broke 
in magnificent splendour around them. With un¬ 
wavering glance, they have stood, with a little 
basket in one hand, and a pointed spear in the 
other, striking with unerring aim such fish as the 
violence of the wave might force within their 
reach. 
They have a curious contrivance for taking- 
several kinds of ray and cuttle-fish, which resort to 
the holes of the coral rocks, and protrude their 
arms or feet for the bait, but remain themselves 
firm within the retreat. The instrument employed 
consists of a straight piece of hard wood, a foot 
long, round and polished, and not half an inch in 
diameter. Near one end of this, a number of the 
most beautiful pieces of the cowrie or tiger-shell 
are fastened one over another, like the scales of a 
fish or the plates of a piece of armour, until it is 
about the size of a turkey's egg, and resembles the 
cowrie. It is suspended in an horizontal position, 
by a strong line, and lowered by the fisherman 
from a small canoe, until it nearly reaches the 
bottom. The fisherman then gently jerks the line, 
causing the shell to move as if inhabited by a fish. 
This jerking motion is called tootoofe the name of 
the singular contrivance. 
The cuttle-fish, attracted, it is supposed, by the 
appearance of the cowrie, (for no bait is used,) 
darts out one of its arms or rays, which it winds 
round the shell, and fastens among the openings 
