Ethnogrftfihy of Kicronesia. ,33 



missiles are not stones taken at random, but prepared stones of 

 the size and shape of a hen's egg, though slightly pointed at both 

 ends (Fig. 32). Their slings are made of the bark of the hibiscus 

 tree. Skilful natives throw such missiles to a considerable distance. 

 The practice of stone- throwing is in evidence in Yap, of the 

 West Caroline group.^ It also prevails in various islands of 

 Melanesia and Polynesia, for example in New 

 Britain, New Hebrides, New Caledonia, Fiji, 

 Marquesas, and Tahiti. The stone missiles used 

 in New Caledonia are of a pointed oval shape 

 like those in Truk, birt the slings employed in the 

 former are far more simple than those in tlie 

 Fig 32.— siiDg-stones, latter, they consist of a simple cord which doubles 

 in the middle for receiving missiles.^ The sling 

 was formerly used by the natives of Hawaii too. With regard to 

 this fact, W. Ellis says : " The shngs v,-ere made of human hair, 

 plaited, or the elastic fibres of the coconut husk ; the stones they 

 employed were about the size of a hen's ogg, generally ponderous 

 pieces of compact lava, from the bed of a stream or the sea- 

 beach, where they had been worn smooth by the action of the 

 water." 3 In a fight at a distance the slings proved quite destruc- 

 tive, so to the natives of the Caroline Islands who use no bows 

 the slings may be important weapons. 



Archery is unknown to the natives of Polynesia and the Malay 

 Archipelago, but there are not a few natives in Melanesia who 

 are acquainted with the art of shooting. In the Philippines too, 

 the Negritos are familiar with archery and shoot with bow and 



1 The instrament in Pnlau wliicli is called the sling by Captain WUson is used for dis- 

 charging darls, not stones, as missiles (See G. Keate. «An Account of the Pelew Islands," p. 314). 



2 F. Ratzel, " The History of Jlankind/' London, 1896-181)8, Vol. I, p. 235. 



3 W. EUis, aiwaii, p. 141. 



