338 THE OCEAN. 



fishing-boats. * * * A number of large fishing- 

 boats were coming in from sea, and standing with 

 us into the roads; and although we were running 

 at the rate of seven knots an hour, they passed us 

 with great rapidity. They had a most graceful 

 appearance ; many of them were fourteen or fifteen 

 tons' burthen, and each boat carried one immense 

 square-sail. As the breeze was strong, a thick 

 plank was thrust out to windward for an outrigger, 

 on which several of the numerous crew sat, or stood, 

 to prevent the press of sail they were carrying from 

 capsizing the boat. They were occasionally hidden 

 from our view by their passing behind some of the 

 small islets; but in a few seconds they would appear 

 on the other side, having shot past so rapidly, that 

 we could scarcely fancy we had lost sight of them at 



all."* 



In sailing amongst the numberless islands of the 

 Indian Archipelago, the voyager is struck with the 

 frequent appearance of towns or villages built 

 actually over the sea. The houses are constructed on 

 stout piles, which are firmly driven into the ground. 

 A flat place is selected, where the tide ebbs and 

 flows, that all dirt and filth from their habitations 

 may be regularly carried away without trouble, and 

 that they may be free from the presence of unplea- 

 sant and venomous reptiles. The houses are chiefly 

 of split bamboo, thatched with leaves: the windows 

 are made of the transparent inner shell of the pearl- 

 oyster: they are arranged in rows or streets, with 

 walks three or four feet wide reaching to the land, 



* Earl's "Eastern Seas," p. 11. 



