Beached Fish.—We received a letter from “S. E. K. Hulililuaikeanuwaiokanahele” of Waikane, Koolaupoko, informing us of the beaching of a large Dolphin [Naia] at that place, on the 20th of this month. Its length was six feet, and its circumference was 12 feet; its flesh was eaten by the people, and its fat was burned for light. This is truly something new.
(Kuokoa, 5/9/1863, p. 2)
Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke II, Helu 18, Aoao 2. Mei 9, 1863.
Whereas I have received the lease to the fishing rights for the seas of Queen Liliuokalani located at Waikiki Kai, that being the fishing area of Hamohamo on the makai side of where the Calvinist Church stands, then going east until the border of Kaneloa, to the seas called Niau, I therefore restrict Octopus [Hee]; but as for the other fish, they are open to all others. Therefore, abide by this or you will be in trouble.
Auwae.
Waikiki Kai, Oct. 28, 1895.
(Leo o ka Lahui, 12/13/1895, p. 4)
Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Buke II, Helu 1356, Aoao 4. Dekemaba 13, 1895.
ANNOUNCING so that all may hear who go swimming or fishing perhaps at the Sea of Hamohamo at Waikiki Kai, Honolulu, Oahu; Queen Liliuokalani prohibits: There is to be no collecting of Pakeleawaa Seaweed, and Huluhuluwaena Seaweed, Opihi, Alealea Shellfish, Ina, Haueue [Haukeuke], and Pipipi, facing the front of the Royal Yard [Pa Alii]. It was her very own Royal hands which planted and fostered all of those things mentioned above, and those who take these Restricted things will be arrested and punished by the law. All of these things planted by the Queen, some were brought from Hilo, and some from Lahaina, some from Molokai, some from Kauai, and some were from here in Waialua, Oahu.
Heed this Restriction.
J. O. Carter, Agent.
Honolulu, T. H., Mar. 1, 1906.
(Na’i Aupuni, 3/26/1906, p. 3)
Ka Na’i Aupuni, Buke I, Helu 102, Aoao 3. Maraki 26, 1906.
January 25. The was much water that covered over all of Olowalu, and the sugarcane acreage of the Olowalu Sugar Company, and nearly one hundred acres was covered with ʻaʻā lava and sand above; and the sleeping quarters of the workers was moved by the water, but it did not get washed away, and there were no injuries.
This is the news that I should tell you all; that is about all of the different fishes that came ashore; this did not happen in floods before; they were only a few fish; but during this flood, there were a lot of fishes that came on shore. These are the fishes that I saw, heepuloa, kala, aweoweo,
Continue reading
On Thursday afternoon at the pier on the makai end of Allen Street, a large octopus was caught on hook by a part-Chinese boy named Anina.
While he was fishing enjoyably, he felt the pull of something and he thought it was an ulua. It pulled at his line for a long time, and because he could not pull it up, he called some people to come and help him for he was very worried that he would be pulled under. He had no concern about the line because he was using very heavy line with a hook that would not break.
When several people arrived, he was helped at pulling it up to land. Continue reading
Women Got the Octopus With Spears.
The Hawaiians have five methods of fishing: by spearing, hand catching, baskets, hook and line, and with nets.
The Ia O is the spearing of fish and is of two kinds, below and above water. That below water is the most important, and is generally employed for the different kinds of rock fish. The spear used by the diver is a slender stick of from 6 to 7 feet in length made of very hard wood and sharply pointed at one end, but more tapering at the other. Since the possession of iron, spears are always tipped with it, but perfectly smooth, without hook or barb. Diving to a well-known station by a large coral rock or against the steep face of the reefs, the diver places himself in a half crouching position on his left foot, with his right foot free and extended behind, his left hand holding on to the rock to steady himself, watches and waits for the fish. Fish in only two positions are noticed by him, those passing before and parallel to him, and those coming straight towards his face. he always aims a little in advance, as, by the time the fish is struck, its motion has carried it so far forward that it will be hit on the gills or middle of the body and thus secured, but if the spear were aimed at the body it would be very apt to hit the tail, or pass behind. When the fish is hit, the force of the blow generally carries the spear right through to the hand, thus bringing the fish up to the lower part or handle of the spear, where it remains whilst the fisherman strikes rapidly at other fish in succession should they come in a huakai (train) as they usually do. Continue reading
Laupahoehoe, July 26—Some days ago, there was person who said he was lucky and caught a big ulua at the same place. As for this, these men, whose names are Bill Maikui, a worker for the railway; Lopaka Mae; Akoni Jarda and Ned Rice; spoke about their luck in catching a large honu.
One day Bill Maikui noticed a big honu swimming by beneath the cliffs upon which they live. He fastened meat upon his fishing line and threw it down the cliff; perhaps this cliff is not very high. When he threw over his fishing line, the flippers [ekekeu] of that turtle soon was entangled in the line; and being that the honu was huge indeed, he called his friends to go down and secure a heavy line and pull it up to where he lives. It was with great difficulty that they pulled up this honu caught in the fishing line up the cliff where Maikui lives. Continue reading
One of the largest uha or white eels that has ever been seen in Honolulu was on view at the fishmarket yesterday morning.
The eel was about eight feet in length and weighed thirty-five pounds. It was as thick as a man’s leg in the middle. Continue reading
UNUSUAL EXPERIENCE OF NATIVE SAILOR ON THE CLAUDINE WHILE AT HANA.
It is not often that any one is towed under water by a shark and lives to tell the tale, but this is precisely what happened last Thursday to Joe Kauwila a native sailor aboard the steamer Claudine. Not only did he survive the experience, but at last accounts he was shoving a truck at the Wilder wharf today helping to load the steamer Claudine with freight.
On Thursday at Hana while the Claudine was in the port, the sailors heard that a dead horse had been moored near one of the buoys, for the purpose of attracting a shark. A big shovel nose shark about 12 feet in length, came circling in the vicinity of the horse. Captain Parker took a boat crew and went over by the buoy. J. Welch a man from the shore, shot at the shark with a rifle and struck the shark in the head and evidently stunned it. The idea of Captain Parker and the men in the boat was to get a line on the shark and haul it aboard. There were two young natives in the boat one of them Joe Kauwila. Joe is about 18 years of age and the other man about 20.
The shark could be seen a few yards away lying on its back. Some thought the shark had been killed. The natives talked of going over with the line.
“I think he no make,” ejaculated one of the men.
“Oh! I think he make, all right,” declared Joe. “Any how, plenty more kanakas. I try get line on him.” Joe hauled off his shirt, seized the line and started swimming toward the shark. He caught hold of the shark’s tail and began to put the line over the tail. The instant that the shark felt the boy catch hold of its tail, the shark sprang into sudden life, and started to swim. Joe held onto the shark’s tail though. Down went the shark intending evidently to dive under the boat. Continue reading
A Great Many Opelu.—At night on this past Saturday, that being the 11th of November, opelu were seen coming upon the sandy shore of Kakaako [? Kakaoko]; it was horrific! the opelu were flopping on the sand.
[I cannot recall this happening during modern times. Anyone ever see this happening?]
(Kuokoa, 11/18/1865, p. 2)
Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke IV, Helu 46, Aoao 2. Novemaba 18, 1865.
nupepa 