The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-11-29
DIR. JORDAN PRONOUNCES THE
FLESH EXCELLENT.
Inspector Berndt Invited to join EXpe-
dition to Laysan Island.-Pake Stall
Keepers Fishy Conduct.

e. Louis Berndt, market inspector
expects to receive letter on the Ala
media from DR.. Starr Jordan Identifying
several fishes that he has sent up for
classification from time to time, in
cluding the Hawaiian salmon" the
capture of which created considerable
interest some little time ago.
Mr.. Berndt sent lately to DR.. Jordan
a photograph of a large fish of the bal
loon fish" family weighing in the neigh
borhood of three hundred pounds and
which is quite plentiful around these
shores. Referring to this capture, DR..
Jordan states that the flesh of these
fishes forms excellent eating and pos
sesses a rare flavor that should make
them popular for food. They are not
usually accepted as a food fish in the
islands.
The expedition to Laysan Island,
which will be part of the piscatorial
expedition made in the interests OF
science under the direction of DR.. Jor-
dan, is expected to reach the islands
about the first week in January. DR.,
Jordan will not accompany the expedl-
ton on account of an overplus of work
but will place the trip under the tutel-
age of some other savant. The waters
of these islands will be thoroughly in
vestigated for specimens and the eXpe-
dition will then sail for Laysan Island,
eight hundred miles away and remain
in those waters for one or two weeks
collecting and classifying.
Inspector Berndt, whose services IN
securing and preserving rare speci-
mems of the "denizens of the deep that
come within his observation, and Tor
warding them with photographs and
such particulars as may be CLEANED to
the department are cordially reoog-
nized; has received an invitation from
Z Dr. Jordan to become member of the
fexpedition While such a trip is one
that would be dear to Mr.. Berndt S
heart. it is doubtful whether he will be
able to accept the invitation on account
of his local duties unless the Board OF
Health decides to grant him a permit
for leave of absence.
An encounter which wound up harm
lessly created some little amusement
in the fish market this morning. The
dramatis personae We're native and a
Chinese stall keeper. A fresh stock of
red fish had just been brought In "all
iSikitves o's-frofn- canoe onde q croVitf~of
natives were busy pricing and buying
the still breathing and struggling fish
The chief actor in the comedy had
hung back on his purchase until the
pake added grudgingly one more fish to
pile to which he had already raised
from four to six fish for the price
named The bargain concluded, the ma
tive was about to empty his purchase
into a basket that he carried when the
pake, repenting his generosity, started
to withdraw one of the "manuahi"
fishes.
The indignant native dropped his bas-
ket and, seizing a big mullet by the
tail, utilized it as a club and swatted
the Chinaman across the left cheek, fol-
lowing it up with a well thrown squid
that wound it's clamy, though fortu-
nately lifeess tentacles caressingly
around the astonished features of the
pake.
For a minute it looked like trouble,
but all the bystanders, including the
rest of the Chinese vendors, took the
thing as a huge joke, so that the as
saulted fish seller contented himself
with a lengthy string of Chinese vitu-
peration which doubtless was best left
uninterpreted. The native enjoyed his
end of the joke and soon amicably con-
cluded his bargain with a rival stall
keeper.