Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-06-08

natives were watching for the signal
from the fishermen far out at sea-
At last it came. When the western
sky was ablaze with the glory Of a rrop-
! ical sunset, a shout went up from the
| group of expectant fishermen OF the
beach. They pointed to Diamond head,
where, clearly drawn against the purple
| sky, was seen the naked figure of the
watchman fiourIshing his scarlet malo, or
! breech cloth, which he had torn off to
! sigma. with.
1t took US but few moments to reach
! our canoe and spring in. Immediately
our crew of padders forced the light
! bulls into the water. aud in another mo-
ment we were darting over the smooth
water inside the reef in hot chase after
| the large double canoe, on the platform
! of which sat the kahuna wildly tossing
! his arms about and bowling out dismal
incarnation. All the paddlers sat on the
| gunwales of their canoes, and with
| vigorous rhythmic strokes of their broad
| bladed paddles drove forward the vessels.
! Soon we felt from the plunging motion
that we were on the inner edge of the
| break water. Another moment and the
roar and hiss of the coming waves were
| upon us. I glanced at the doctor and
had just a glimpse of him, as he sat low
down in the stern Of his canoe, his mus
cular hands clutching firmly the edges of
the craft while from between his close
set teeth depended his beloved meer-
schaum. Quick puffs of smoke betrayed
his excitement as the canoes reared and
plunged over the breakers, and then we
were gliding easily over the long swell
outside.
Though it did not take us long to reach
the spot where the man-eater was known
to be, yet night had fallen on them, and
it was by the light of torches made of
the baked kernels of the candle-nut
strung upon cocoa leaf fibre that we drew
near the fleet. AS we did so the dip of
paddles was nOiseless, and it was by signs
alone that the ''luna, " or head fisherman,
gave direction to the rest. BY the smoky,
red light of the torches we could see men
busily scattering about the baked meat
they had brought, and also half-chewed
mOrsels of the ava root. AS they did so
there was the CLEAN CT the fins and tails
of hundreds of fish darting to and fro
for the food. Now and then larger one
than the rest, with sides glowing with
phosphorescent light, would dart among
the smaller fry, scattering them right
and left.
They are the 'mano-Kanaka, ," whis-
pered the doctor 1--WE had both crawled
on to the platform of our canoe), 1.-The
shark god of the old Hawaiians. 1t is
the kind they believed could assume the
forms of human beings at Will And |.
there there" he added, quickly, as
massive bulk rose slowly from the depths |
below, 'there is the 'mano-keokeo,' the |
great white shark ~
Just then the old fisherman stationed
near us suddenly crouched down, and, /
touching the doctor with one lean brown .
hand, pointed to the water near the |
stern of the canoe, next to US. We there
saw, cleaning in the opalescent depths, !
lignant, greenish light. They were set |
in monstrous, shadowy head, beyond .
which we could dilnly see a huge brown
body. Below the cold, cruel eyes were
traced the outlines of formida-
BILE mouth, that, even as we looked |
opened slowly, disclosing row upon row
of strongly hooked, pearly white teeth,
with deeply serrated edges. AS this
frightful mouth opened the monster
rolled half over and vigorously snapped
at the b ndle of food sinking near him,
1t was the Niuhi, the fiercest and most
vOracious of his tribe, and as he moved
along the crowd of fish DATED away in
terror. Even the great white shark sui
lenly gave place TO InlS Tiger OF the sea,
who swan slowly about walowing the
food the fishermen kept throwing to him.
AS he thus moved from place to place his
whole body seemed to exhale a peculiar
light, that streamed from the tips of his
fms and long, unevenly lobed tail. By
the CLEAN Of this peculiar phosphores-
cence his motion could be osely
and finally the experienced
fishermen saw that he was becoming
gOrged. So intent had we been watch
ing his movements that we had not
noticed that while he was being fed the
fleet of canoes had been silently moved
in near the shore. Now, looking down,
we could dimly see the white sandy bot
tom, and in a few minutes were in quite
shallow water, opposite an opening in
the reef where the surf did not break
Our progress had been very slow, and
now for awhile the canoes halted. while
lowering between them was the man
eater, evidently somewhat stupeied by
the ava he had swallowed with the food
so freely given him.
The old Kahuna had, during the
whole performance, kept up his piano.
ramic display, though in a guarded,
quiet manner, while the fishermen kept
close watch upon the shark. He gorged
to repletion, evidently intended to take
4 map, and so settled slowly down on
the white sandy bottom. He was the
perfect Submarine picture of overfed
h lnlpSSOaSC and If caapoa6 |