138 cook's voyage to march, 



a variety of patterns, and stained of different colours. 

 Some have a ground of pale green, spotted with 

 squares, or rhomboids of red; others are of a straw 

 colour, spotted with green ; and others are worked 

 with beautiful stripes, either in straight or waving 

 lines of red and brown. In this article of manufac- 

 ture, whether we regard the strength, fineness, or 

 beauty, they certainly excel the whole world. 



Their fishing-hooks are made of mother-of-pearl, 

 bone, or wood, pointed and barbed with small bones, 

 or tortoise-shell. They are of various sizes and 

 forms ; but the most common are about two or three 

 inches long, and made in the shape of a small fish, 

 which serves as a bait, having a bunch of feathers tied 

 to the head or tail. Those with which they fish for 

 sharks, are of a very large size, being generally six or 

 eight inches long. Considering the materials of 

 which these hooks are made, their strength and neat- 

 ness are really astonishing ; and in fact we found 

 them upon trial much superior to our own. 



The line which they use for fishing, for making nets, 

 and for other domestic purposes, is of different de- 

 grees of fineness, and is made of the bark of the tonta, 

 or cloth tree, neatly and evenly twisted, in the same 

 manner as our common twine; and maybe continued 

 to any length. They have a finer sort, made of the 

 bark of a small shrub called areemah; and the finest 

 is made of human hair; but this last is chiefly used 

 for things of ornament. They also make cordage of 

 a stronger kind, for the rigging of their canoes, from 

 the fibrous coatings of the cocoa-nuts. Some of this 

 we purchased for our own use, and found it well 

 adapted to the smaller kinds of running rigging. 

 They likewise make another sort of cordage, which 

 is flat, and exceedingly strong, and used principally in 

 lashing the roofing of their houses, or whatever they 

 wish to fasten tight together. This last is not twisted 

 like the former sorts, but is made of the fibrous strings 

 of the cocoa-nut's coat, plaited with the fingers, in 



