3?8 A VOYAGE T O 



»778- at mid depth. They are very light, and their breadth and' 

 .» " X '' flatnefs enable them to fwim firmly, without an out-rigger, 

 which none of them have ; a remarkable diftindlion between 

 the navigation of all the American nations, and that of the 

 Southern parts of the Eaft Indies, and the Illands in the Pa- 

 cific Ocean. Their paddles are fmall and light ; the fhape, 

 in fome meafure, refembling that of a large leaf, pointed 

 at the bottom, broadefl in the middle, and gradually lofing 

 itfelf in the (haft, the whole being about five feet long. 

 They have acquired great dexterity in managing thefe pad- 

 dles, by conftant ufe; for fails are no part of their art of 

 navigation. 



Their implements for fifliing and hunting, which arc 

 both ingenioufly contrived, and well made, are nets, hooks 

 and lines, harpoons, gigs, and an inftrument like an oar. 

 This laft is about twenty feet long,, four of five inches 

 broad, and about half an inch thick. Each edge, for about 

 two-thirds of its length (the other third being its handle), is 

 fet with fharp bone-teeth, about two inches long. Her- 

 rings and fardines, and fuch other fmall fifli as come in 

 flioals, are attacked with this inftrument ; which is ftruck 

 into the Ihoal, and the fifti are caught either upon, or be- 

 tween the teeth. Their hooks are made of bone and wood, 

 and rather inartificially ; but the harpoon, with which they 

 ftrike the whales and lefler fea animals, (hews a great reach 

 of contrivance. It is compofed of a piece of bone, cut into • 

 two barbs, in which is fixed, the oval blade of a large 

 mufcle (hell, in which is the point of the inftrument. To 

 this is faftened about two or three fathoms of rope ; and to 

 throw this harpoon, they ufe a (haft of about twelve or fif- 

 teen feet long, to which the line or rope is made faft ; and ; 

 to one end of which the harpoon is fixed, fo as to feparate 



from. 



