300 COOK S VOYAGE TO APRIL, 



certain established significations, or only the mere 

 creation of fancy and caprice. 



Their canoes are of a simple structure ; but, to 

 appearance, well calculated for every useful purpose. 

 Even the largest, which carry twenty people or more, 

 are formed of one tree. Many of them are forty 

 feet long, seven broad, and about three deep. From 

 the middle, toward each end, they become gradually 

 narrower, the after-part, or stern, ending abruptly 

 or perpendicularly, with a small knob on the top ; 

 but the fore-part is lengthened out, stretching forward 

 and upward, ending in a notched point or prow, con- 

 siderably higher than the sides of the canoe, which 

 run nearly in a straight line. For the most part they 

 are without any ornament ; but some have a little 

 carving, and are decorated by setting seals' teeth on 

 the surface, like studs ; as is the practice on their 

 masks and weapons. A few have, likewise, a kind 

 of additional head or prow, like a large cut-water, 

 which is painted with the figure of some animal. 

 They have no seats, nor any other supporters, on the 

 inside, than several round sticks, little thicker than 

 a cane, placed across, at mid depth. They are very 

 light, and their breadth and flatness enable them to 

 swim firmly, without an out-rigger, which none of 

 them have ; a remarkable distinction between the 

 navigation of all the American nations and that of 

 the southern parts of the East Indies, and the islands 

 in the Pacific Ocean. Their paddles are small and 

 light ; the shape, in some measure, resembling that 

 of a large leaf, pointed at the bottom, broadest in 

 the middle, and gradually losing itself in the shaft, 

 the whole being about five feet long. They have 

 acquired great dexterity in managing these paddles, 

 by constant use ; for sails are no part of their art of 

 navigation. 



Their implements for fishing and hunting, which 

 are both ingeniously contrived and well made, are 

 nets, hooks, and lines, harpoons, gigs, and an in- 



