c 23 l 2 cook's voyage to feb. 



confined places must be very warm, though inhabited 

 but by a few persons. 



They live chiefly by fishing, making use either of 

 nets of different kinds, or of wooden fish-hooks 

 pointed with bone ; but so oddly made, that a stran- 

 ger is at a loss to know how they can answer such a 

 purpose. It also appears, that they remove their ha- 

 bitations from one place to another when the fish 

 grow scarce, or for some other reason ; for we found 

 houses now built in several parts, where there had 

 been none when we were here during our last voy- 

 age, and even these have been already deserted. 



Their boats are well built, of planks raised upon 

 each other, and fastened with strong withes, which 

 also bind a long narrow piece on the outside of the 

 seams to prevent their leaking. Some are fifty feet 

 long, and so broad as to be able to sail without an 

 outrigger ; but the smaller sort commonly have one ; 

 and they often fasten two together by rafters, which 

 we then call a double canoe. They carry from five 

 to thirty men or more ; and have often a large head 

 ingeniously carved, and painted with a figure at the 

 point, which seems intended to represent a man, with 

 his features distorted by rage. Their paddles are 

 about four or five feet long, narrow, and pointed ; 

 with which, when they keep time, the boat is pushed 

 along pretty swiftly. Their sail, which is seldom 

 used, is made of a mat of a triangular shape, having 

 the broadest part above. 



The only method of dressing their fish, is by roast- 

 ing, or rather baking, for they are entirely ignorant 

 of the art of boiling. In the same manner they dress 

 the root, and part of the stalk, of the large fern-tree, 

 in a great hole dug for that purpose, which serves as 

 an oven. After which they split it, and find within 

 a fine gelatinous substance, like boiled sago-powder, 

 but firmer. They also use another smaller fern root, 

 which seems to be their substitute for bread, as it is 

 dried and carried about with them, together with 



