102 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 
Anson, who in his narrative gives a figure of a flving prao of Guam, 
differs from Dampier in correctly stating that the flat side is always 
kept to the leeward and the outrigger to the windward. He describes 
the outrigger as a log fashioned in the shape of a small boat and made 
hollow, the sail made of matting, and the mast, yard, and thwartship 
pieces connecting the outrigger, of bamboo. In his figure, however, 
the sail is shown incorrectly. Tt should be of lateen or triangular 
shape with the upper vardarm projecting well aft beyond the stern.” 
Besides the large praos they had small canoes, which were very 
swift, light, and pretty, *‘for they painted them with a coating made 
of red earth from the island of Guam, mixed | Ww vith lime, with coconut 
oilasa medium, which beautitied them greatly.” Pigafetta, in speaking 
of their canoes, says that they were all vnted: some black and others 
red. They had paddles of the form of bakers’ shovels, which could be 
used either for steering or propelling the canoes, 
’ 
MENTAL AND MORAL CHARACTERISTICS. 
In counting they used a decimal system, the names of the numerals 
corresponding with those of Malayo-Polynesian languages. Different 
forms of numerals were used in counting living and dead objects, and 
in expressing measurements.° 
They were a happy, careless people, fond of festivities, dancing, 
singing, story telling, and contests of strength and skill, yet. sufli- 
ciently industrious to cultivate their fields and garden patches, build 
excellent houses for their families, braid mats of fine texture, and con- 
struct canoes which were the admiration of all the early navigators. 
They were much given to buffoonery, mockery, playing tricks, jest- 
ing, mimicry, and ridicule, offering in this respect a striking contrast 
to the undemonstrative Malayans. Legazpi, who visited the island 
in 1565, speaks of the loud laughter of those who surrounded his ship.:. 
In selling rice to passing ships they would often increase the weight 
and bulk of the packages by stones and leaves. ** For each nail,” says 
Legazpi, ‘‘ they gave measures of rice containing half a fanega,” more 
or less.” When straw and stones at the bottom of the packages were 
discovered by the Spaniards, the natives seemed to regard the decep- 
tion asa huge joke; they ‘‘clapped their hands in glee and laughed 
long and loud, going from that vessel to another and playing the same 
trick, Then again they would take nails and fly without giving any- 
thing in return.” On the other hand, the Spaniards gave them in 
exchange for rice and fruits—the most valuable possessions of the 
“See Anson, Voyage Round the World, p. 340, 1748. 
Garcia, Vida y Martyrio de Sanvitores, p. 198, 1683. 
¢For numeral system and calendar of the aborigines, see Safford, W. E., The 
Chamorro language of Guam, Amer. Anthrop., n.s., vol. 6, pp. 95-104, 1904. 
4A fanega is about 1.6 bushels. 
