392 canoes. [1840 



islands. Between Honolulu and Waikiki, on the island of 

 Oahu, there are a great number of ponds, where large quan- 

 tities of salt are obtained by evaporation. Niihau is well 

 adapted for this purpose, and affords every facility for em- 

 barking in the manufacture to any extent. 



Building vessels and canoes, at this day, is far more of an 

 art, and a great deal more neatly done, at the Sandwich 

 Islands, than when they were first visited by the whites. 

 Whaleboats are frequently used by the natives for short jour- 

 neys along the coasts, though they still adhere, more or less, 

 to the ancient canoe. The latter is much better built than 

 formerly, and the lashings of sennit, and the gum of the bread- 

 fruit, have given place to good spikes and pitch. They are 

 very narrow, and are usually provided with an outrigger, — 

 which consists of two light sticks secured upon the gunwale 

 of the craft, and projecting to windward from six to ten feet, 

 where they are crossed and connected by another stick run- 

 ning parallel to the canoe. The outrigger serves to steady 

 the boat, and prevent its upsetting ; but if it breaks or gives 

 way, when the huge sail is stretched by the fierce wind, woe 

 be to the luckless mariner. 



(9.) On the 24th day of September, the Vincennes came 

 to anchor in the roads of Honolulu, and was joined by the 

 Peacock on the 30th instant. The Porpoise and tender were 

 employed for several days, subsequent to the departure of the 

 two larger vessels from the Feejee Group, in examining Na- 

 tava Bay and watching the conduct of the natives to the mis- 

 sionaries at Somu-Somu ; but they also reached the Sand- 

 wich Islands in safety, early in the month of October. As 

 the time for which the crews had originally engaged, was 

 about expiring, they were here reshipped, with a few excep- 

 tions, for an additional period of eighteen months, and the com- 

 plements were filled by the temporary employment of a suit- 

 able number of kanakas, who were to be discharged on the 

 return of the Squadron from the north-west coast of America. 

 The Porpoise, Lieutenant Ringgold, sailed on the 16th of No- 

 vember, to make a reexamination of the Paumotu Group, whicb 



