244 AVOYAGETO 



f'^/ w ^^^^^' "^^^^ brought to a point at each end. The fides confift 

 of three boards, each about an inch thick, and neatly fitted 

 and lafiied to the bottom part. The extremities, both at 

 head and flern, are a little raifed, and both are made fliarp, 

 fomewhat like a wedge ; but they flatten more abruptly j 

 fo that the two fide-boards join each other, fide by fide, for 

 more than a foot. But Mr. Webber's drawing will explain 

 their conftrudlion more accurately than my defcription in 

 words. As they are not more than fifteen or eighteen inches 

 broad, thofe that go fingle (for they fometimes join them as 

 at the other iflands), have out-riggers, which are Ihapcd 

 and fitted with more judgment than any I had before feen. 

 They are rowed by paddles, fuch as we had generally met . 

 with ; and fome of them have a light triangular fail, like 

 thofe of the Friendly Iflands, extended to a maft and boom. 

 The ropes ufed for their boats, and the fnialler cords for 

 their fifliing-tackle, are ftrong and well made. 



■ What we faw of their agriculture, furniflicd fufficicnt 

 proofs tliat they are not novices in that art. The vale 

 ground has already been mentioned as one continued plant- 

 ation of tiiro, and a few other things, which have all the 

 appearance of being well attended to. The potatoc fields, 

 and fpots of fugar-canc, or plantains, on the higher grounds, 

 are planted with the finne regularity ; and always in fome 

 determinate figure; generally as a fquare or oblong ; but 

 neither thefe, nor the others, are inclofed with any kind of 

 fence, unlefs we reckon the ditches in the low grounds fuch ; 

 which, it is more probable, are intended to convey water 

 to the taro. The great quantity and goodncfs of thefe ar- 

 ticles may alfo, perhaps, be as mtieh attributed to fliilful 

 culture, as to natural fertility of foil, which feeras better 



adapted 



