The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-24
FISHING IN FIJI ISLANDS.
SPORT WITH THE TAU-TAU, WHICH
is LIKE OUR SALMON.
Sharks Are Not the Only Dangerous
Denizens of These TrOpic Waters.

Denizens of These Tropic Waters.
From the New York Press.
In the Fiji Islands fishing is not only the
national pastime, but the national method
of obtaining the food supply. One of the
most important fish is the tau-tau, which
is like the salmon.
over the reef and a mile beyond the ca
noes are padded, while a native prepares
the rods and tackle Four rods lie length
ways ON the outriggers-rods fourteen feet
long, of tough, springy cane tapering from
two inches in diameter at the butt to half
an inch at the point, to which the line.
about the length of the rod, is fastened.
Lying beside the rods are lines for deep
sea work, neatly coiled, ready for takuo
fishing. The natives know from the
crowds of clamorous sea birds and the
splasninS water when they are approach
ing a shoal of fish. They drop their pad
dies, seize their rods and cast the bait into
the sea; often, almost before it reaches
the surface, a fish leaps out at it. the
tough rod bends, and with a strong, steady
sweep of his arms the fisherman swings a
ten-pound tap-tau clear out of the water
and drops it into the canoe, where burnish
ed silver and steely blue, it struggles
among the mems feet.
soon all the other fishermen are hard ar
work; and their shouts, added 10 the
screams Of the wheeling seafowl and the
| Tapping of the FISH as they are dropned
into the bottom of the canoes, Increase the
excitement of the sport. Thus il goes on
I9r hours, unll the men are growing tir-
ed, for each of them may have taken n
score or thirty fish from eight Ia ten
POUNDS IN weight; so they hand their rods
TO their comrades, who add fish after fish
10 the qulVering heap. Suddenly the
sport ceases, the fish are gone; for sons
dozen pala-the dreaded foe of the tan
tau-nave appeared on the surface So
the men light their pipes, and the canoes
are padded homeward again 20 the ieI
and ISL
Takoui; another stIn larger fish, is often
| much exceeding that. rakuo are usuaFlv
caught when drifting with the tide or cr,r,
d dGd 20 9boS sPqnaing fon The depth, and
ing as done twenty tathons deep for taI,,1o.
are caught some distance off The hot,n,
y takuo, when played nearly up TO tbc
| surface, makes desperate efforts n FRI
| itself from the hook by violently sba liz g
| its head, after the manner of tarnonS -
the FLORIDA seas; also, they wifi dive Al
most vertically in, maybe, thirty fatborn.
| Of water, so that the rough-dbTe linz az
] II runs with great velocity over The hoa .
gunwaie, Is bkely 10 injure the angler
| hands, unless protected ia some vvav .
Sometimes the fish will make a siroiat,4
dart upward az great speed, then Sow
| round ana dive with lightning-hke rand
'tys - hdpS sHapltius a nook or line strong
| enough TO hold shark OF large size whicb
| by the by, among the Melanesians Il caiied
| Jack of the Atolls" Ndiieu
AZ times these great takuo are seen
! basking near the surface of the laeo91l
| among the coral reefs, and are srsSI.i'f
| with harpoon with line attached 20 T.
| Takuo are rather delicate eating. -
There are plenty of sharks These "Iacl,
| OF the Atoils' swarm near the reefs ana in
the lagoons Of Fiji. Go out al nieht Seh ~
| cocoa-palm leaf torch and look over fbe
\ side of the canoe. AT a few fatbon,S,
! depth at first only one or two NAV ~.
! seen swimming about; IN ten mInuies 6g
| ", and all hungry. A man falling over
| board at night would have a bad time, bnt
in the daytime the natives feel no fear Of
'iack," although young shark NOT sly