New-York tribune., 1910-05-08

, The Borneans. especially the Kayans and
kenyahs, catch fish by poisoning them with
a plant called tuba. which seems 10 suffo-
cate them and causes them TO rise to the
surface. Expeditions for this purpose are
made into regular picnics. The natives set
off to part of some mountain stream
which is shaded from the tropical heat by
high trees festooned with orchids and trail
ing with creepers Men and women are
decorated with gaudy beads: there Is much
fun the canoes are padded up stream;
there is racing and jostling and continuous
laughter.
In each boat is a quantity OF the tuba
root, which has been gathered a day or
two before in the jungle The fishers, how
ever, take care never to use the word
tuba" When reference is made 10 1t 1t
is called abong, which is strong smelling
root OF a somewhat similar kind. If the
stranger inquiries why tuba" is called
'abong" the explanation gwen is that II
they called the thing by it's real name, and
did not call the fish daun 0eaves), the pry
ing beetles would carry the news to, the
fish Of what was intended, and the latter
would keep out of the way. Indeed, If they
used the proper names, and the fish were
aware OF their intention, they might call
upon their medicine man, the belira, 70
bring down heavy rains. which would
cause the streams to become torrential, and
then sport would be impossible. But. by
calling the fish daun 0eaves) and tuba
abong the natives are quite convinced they
fool the fish.
The method of using the tuba is as fol-
lows: A dam is built TO prevent the fish
from esca ping The tuba roots are pound
ed 10 a pulp. and the pulp is STEPPED in
water in some OF the smaller canoes and
washed till all the juice is extracted. Then
a whitish clay is added to make the poison
spread and sink when put in the river.
Some of this mixture is first put in E spe-
cial pool for the benefit of the spirits, all
the fish obtained therein being dedicated
to them, though II must be confessed that
the economical mind of the Kenyah leads
him TO select a pool from which few are
likely to be caught. Then the canoes con-
tanning the poisonous mixture are upset
into the water.
The fish soon rise TO the surface, and the
sport grows fast and furious as they are
chased and speared or netted. while the old
people and children are stationed on the
banks 10 catch the small ones and drive
the fish into the middle OF the stream.
After the fish have been captured every
body lands, fires are lit and much OF the
catch eaten. The natives gorge themselves
TO their utmost capacity. while the remain
der OF the fish are dried and salted FOR fut-
ure use.
The aborigines dwelling on the Gulf Of
Carpentaria, in the north OF Australia.
never use their canoes for anything but
fishing These canoes are dugouts. rem
dered more stable by outriggers weighted
on either side with a heavy log. The blacks
know most of the European methods of
fishing: but besides these they have plan
of their own. They catch a sucker fish,
keep It without food for day or two. tie
a string TO it's TAIL paddle out to sea. and
then let IL go for some big tsh-turtie or
dugong. The sucker holds on for dear life
10 its prey. the blacks gingeriy pull in the
line. and when the fish comes near enough
dispatch IL with their spears.
The manner in which the Australians
hunt the emu is ingenious. The emu gener-
ally comes daily TO drink al the same water
holes along the same tracks either in the
early morning or at midday. The bird
usually spends some time drinking. so the
hunters have plenty Of time TO rig up i
net right across the track. AS the emu
passes the place where the hunters are