T H E P A C I F I C O C E A N. 595 



'777- 

 July. 



part of tlicir time in clofe attendance upon the Chiefs, ^pp 

 can have little ufc for their own houfes, but in the lad 

 cafe. 



They make amends for the defefls of their hoiifes, hy 

 their great attention to, and dexterity in, naval architeiTture, 

 if I may be allowed to give it that name. But I refer to the 

 narrative of my laft voyage, for an account of their canoes, 

 and their manner of building and navigating them.* 



The only tools which they ufe, to conftrucH: thefe boats, are 

 hatchets, or rather thick adzes, of a fmooth black flone that 

 abounds at Toofoa i;^ augres, made of fhark's teeth, fixed on 

 fmall handles ; and rafps, of a rough flcin of a fifli, faftened 

 on flat pieces of wood, thinner on one fide, which alfo have 

 handles. The labour and time employed in finifliing their 

 canoes, which are the mofl perfc6l of their mechanica} 

 produdtions, will account for their being very careful of 

 them. For they are built and preferved under flieds ; or 

 they cover the decked part of them with cocoa-leaves, when 

 they are hauled on fliore, to prevent their being hurt by 

 the fun. 



The fame tools are all they have for other works ; if we 

 except different fliells, which they ufc as knives. But there 

 arc few of their producftions that require thefe, unlefs it be 

 feme of their weapons ; the other articles being chiefly their 

 fifliing materials, and cordage. 



The cordatre is made from tlic fibres of the cocoa-nut 

 huHv, wi)ich, though not more than nine or ten inches long, 

 they plait, about the fize of a quill, or Icfs, to any length 



*^ Cook's Voyage, \'oI. i. p. 215, 216. The reader, by comparing that account, 

 vv!t!i .what Cantova fays of the fc:i-bo.its of the Caroline IflanJf, will find, in this 

 iiiftancc, aifo, the greatefl: fimilaVjty. See Lettres Edijiaiitcs is Cuiievfcs, p. 286. 



3 E 2 that 



