Figure 291.—The pa seuseu hook:

a, b, shanks with mesial head point (1) and two lateral points (2); c, shank with lateral points rounded off; d, shank, with rounded lateral point, and deep groove for lashing cut around lower end, which is converted into a short knob with a constricted neck (3); e, Demandt's hook with turtle shell point. f, Stages of attachment of modern fish hook to shell shank: holding the hook in the left hand with the hook eye distal, one end of the line was laid along its shank from the eye downwards (1) and the left thumb placed over it. The short end of the line is doubled back towards the eye leaving an open loop (2). From below the eye, the short end takes two or three spiral turns around the shank and the doubled line and is then passed through the open loop (3). The long end of the line (4) is pulled and the turns tightened. The line is thus fixed to the shank of the metal hook. The line at no time passes through the eye of the hook but the expansion of the eye prevents the tie from slipping off. g, A thin twisted thread (1) is tied by one end to the hook shank just below the eye and clear of the line knot (2). The short end is disregarded and with the long thread a number of half hitches are made round the shank to fix the thread firmly. h, The hook is now placed on the front of the shell shank with the part carrying the thread between the two holes. The thread is passed down through one of the holes, back up through the other, crossed over the hook shank and so continued for a number of turns. When sufficient, the thread is passed through its own loop to make a simple knot. A couple of circumferential turns are taken around the lashing between the hook and the shell shank. Each turn should pass through its own loop though this is not always observed. The thread is run spirally (3) around the hook shank towards its bend. When it is opposite the narrow part of the shell shank end or above the groove if there is one a number of half hitches are made close together around the iron shank to fix the thread ere commencing the end lashing. A hackle is formed from pieces of fau songa fibre, bits of feather or even foreign cotton thread. The hackle material is laid longitudinally on the back of the shank with its middle, opposite the lashing point. A turn is taken with the thread round the shell shank and passes over the hackle. The end of the hackle towards the head is doubled back and the subsequent turns (4) of the lashing pass over both limbs of the hackle (5) and fix it. The hook is also fixed to the shank and a couple of transverse turns each passing through its own loop are made around the lashing between the metal hook and the shell shank. The thread is thus fixed and the extra length cut off. The hackle is also trimmed off fairly short.