Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-13
FISHING IN HAWAII
SKILL ATTAINED BY NATIVES OF
THE ISLANDS.
Ingenious Apparatus Used-Curious
Nets and Tackle-Catching Shrimp
in Mountain Streams.
Corr. New York Tribune.

Corr. New York Tribune.
Owing to the fact that he has always
been largely dependent upon the sea for a
goodly portion of his daily food the Ha-
waiian fisherman has developed into a re-
markedly ingenious and successful one.
Many Of his methods are curious, and some
Of them are unique, and in the case of GER
tain forms of apparatus could be adopted
by the fishermen in the states with consid
cradle resulting profit.
/ "Lau Kapalili' (trembling leaves) is a
method Of bag net fishing which was at
one time popular in the: islands It was
called 1.-The fishing of kings" as they only
could command a sufficient number OF
canoes, men and TAU" or rope. The late
Kamehameha v, whose favorite residence
was at Waikiki, on Oahu, frequently
ordered 1t. A large bag net, called
papa and ropes 400 fathoms in length;
with the broad, long leaves of the "kf'
plant attached, would be loaded on large
double canoe and taken out several miles
from shore. attended by a fleet Of from
sixty to one hundred single canoes. On
reaching the proper distance, which must
be opposite the final drawing place, the end
OF one rope Is Joined to that of the other,
and two canoes manned by eight or ten
strong natives, take hold of different ends
Of the rope and start in opposite directions
and parallel to the shore. The rest of the
canoes divide into two companies and fol-
low the canoes, stationing themselves at
certain distances along the rope, helping to
pull 1t. In the meantime the double canoe
with the net remains stationary in the CEN
ter.
Rounding Up Fish.
AS soon as the rope is all paid out the
two leading canoes curve in to form semi
circle, at the same time working toward the
shore. As soon as the semI-clrcle has been
completed and the shore reached the men
leap out, and, taking hold Of the line, pull
on it, at the same time going toward each
the semi-circle, while most of the canoes
keep backing toward the double canoe,
which keeps in the center. AS soon as they
have reached a suitable place. which is al
ways clean, sandy one, a few rods from
shore. the ropes are united and attached to
each side of the papa" net. The men,
women and children now gather closely on
the rope, especially near to the net, and
which drives all the fish into the net.
'Lau" and net are finally drawn ashore and
the net is emptied. This fishing can only
be carried on on clear, bright, sunny day,
SO that the shadows cast by the leaves can
be seen and serve to frighten the fish in
land.
In fishing for "malolo," the flying fish.
twenty to forty canoes are frequently en-
ployed. When a school has been sighted
the bag net Is dropped in a favorable posi-
ton, while the main body Of the canoes are
surrounding the school. When this has been
accomplished the canoes are all padded In
quickly toward the mouth of the net. the
occupants splashing the water, thus driving
the fish before them. The "malolo' are
always found swimming near the surface,
and as they will not dive to any depth
they can be driven in any direction desired.
Mountain Shrimp.
In fishing for shrimp in the mountain
streams, a small basket shaped like the
coal-scuttle bonnets in vogue some years
ago, and woven from the roots Of certain
plant, is used This fishing is done by wo-
men. The native woman, outside of the
towns, is never heavily burdened with
clothing, even when dressed In her best,
the "holoku," a flowing mother hubbard,
being the principal garment. When shrimp
ing she either wears an old "holoku," gath
cred up to the waist, or else strips to ma
lures garment. Holding the basket in one
hand and a short stick In the other, and
moving in a crouching position, through the
water, she drives the shrimp from under
the rocks, etc, to suitable spot, which Is
always some place where the grass, ferns
or branches of trees droop. over In the
water The shrimp take refuge in or I'M
der these, and the fisherwemar, placing her
basket under the leaves, lifts them out Of
the water, when the shrimp drop off into
the basket, whence they aresremoved to
gourd with a small mouth, which the wo-
man has been dragging behind her in the
water by a string tied to her waist.
Feeding the Fish
The largest kind of basket used In the
regular ocean fishing is called the "ie
kala." This Is made round, rather fiat,
from four to five feet in diameter by two
and one-half to three in depth. and about
one and one-half feet across othe mouth. A
small cylinder, or cone, of wicker Is at
tached by the large end to the mouth and
turned inward toward the bottom of the
basket. This cone or cylinder Is small at
the free end, just large enough for the fish
to get in. Immediately below the end H
this cone, on the bottom of the basket, Is
placed the bait properly secured, which Is
generally ripe bread fruit, cooked pump
kins, half-roasted sweet potatoes or pa
paias." The fishermen generally feed the
fish at a given place for week or more
before taking any, using for this purpose
large basket of the same kind, without the
inverted cylinder, and wider In the mouth,
to allow the fish free ingress and egress.
After a week or two Of feeding they be-
come very fat and fine favored, and also
tame, and baskets full of fish can be drawn
I'D in the taking basket without in the
least disturbing those which are still greed
lily feeding in the feeding baskets.