€6 Art. VIL — A Matsumuni : 



Chapter IV. 



Navigation and Pishing. 

 I. Navigation. 



Skill in the art of navigation is of extreme importance to 

 dwellers on the small islands scattered over the ocean. For cross- 

 ing the sea they possess no other means than canoes or rafts, the 

 contrivance or construction of which naturally claims their closest 

 attention. Now the islanders of the Caroline and the Marshall 

 group, particularly the latter, arc skilful in the building and 

 management of canoes. Not only so, but they also are skilful in 

 the art of making their own charts, by which they know the 

 position of each of the small islands. ' 



1. Canoes. — The canoes built by the islanders differ, of course, 

 in size, according to requirement. The types employed in fishing 

 along the coast are rather small ; while the " war canoes " or 

 those intended for distant waters are solidly built and of con- 

 siderable size, capable of carrying dozens of persons. The shape 

 of the canoes is more or less different in the different islands, 

 though the general plan of construction is identical. In the East 

 Caroline Islands, particularly in Truk, tlie part forming the bottom 

 consists of a hollowed trunk of the bread-fruit tree, while the sides 

 are built of boards which are fastened in place with cords of 

 coconut fibre. Special precaution is taken to prevent leaking. 

 The general form of the canoe is extremely long, and it is sharp 

 at both ends which rise several feet forming the projecting prow 

 and stern. Both the prow and the stern are of the same shape 

 and are, in the larger canoes, very frequently fitted with carved 

 ornaments on the top (PI. YIU, fig. 2). The sides of the 



