SLfNGSTONES. 



13 



in the Mediterranean the Balearic islanders were sought as the most skilfnl slingers in 

 the Roman, Greek and Carthaginian armies, and the luix pliinibca of the Romans was 

 not unlike the stone proje<5lile used by the Hawaiians. 



The New Caledonian on the west had the lightest and most acute slingstones 

 while the Hawaiian in the east had the largest and heaviest, and in both cases, as may 

 be seen from the ilhistrations (Figs. 6 and 7, and Plate XXXI.) the stones were almost 

 always double cones. Rolled patiently between flat stones with motion from right to 

 left as well as back and forth, the stone fragment graduall}- assumed the form best 

 suited to insure directness of aim as the missile could be made to revolve on its axis, 

 like a rifle ball, bj- the skill of the slinger. The average weight of the New Caledonian 

 stones in this Museum is 1.56 oz., and their length is 1.75 in.; of the Hawaiian 4.73 oz. 

 and 2.65 in. The material of the former is a sort of steatite, of the latter lava, and of 

 those brought from Guam by Mr. A. Seale, stalactite. It will be noted that all these 

 stones average lighter than cricket balls (5.5 oz.) or base balls (5.2 oz.). 



The collec?tion of slingstones shown in Fig. 7 was found on the grounds sur- 

 rounding the Bishop Museum beneath a large fragment of lava which was being removed 

 for building purposes. This was near the ancient path from Waikiki to Ewa, on the 

 top of the slight ascent from the marshes. Perhaps the warrior had here placed his 

 ammunition to drive back some enemy using the trail and death had claimed him 

 before his stones had all been slung. 



The following table will show the size and weight of the stones figured: — 



Plate XXXI. 



4822. 



4814. 

 4818. 

 4813. 

 4820. 

 4824. 

 4826. 



4823. 

 4821. 

 4815. 

 4828. 

 4825. 

 4830. 



48.^1- 

 4832. 



4833- 

 4834- 

 4835- 

 4836. 



Compact lava, 2.65X1.6X1.5 in.. 5 oz. 

 Brown lava, 3X1.9X1-7 in., 7 oz. 

 Smooth finish, 2.85X 1.7 in., 6 oz. 

 Compact lava, 3.1X2.1 in., 10 oz. 

 Lava, 3.4X1.9 in., 10 oz. 

 Grey, clay-like, 2.7X 1.8X 1.7 in., 6.5 oz. 

 Red, porous lava, 2.4X1.7 in., 5.2 oz. 

 Clay (palolo), 2.6X1.5 in., 4 oz. 

 Clay (palolo), 3X 1.6X 1.4 in., 4.5 oz. 

 Rolled lava, 2.6X1. 9X1.7 in., 6.5 oz. 

 Cellular lava, 2.4X1.6 in., 5 oz. 

 Claylike, 2.5X1. 6X1.5 in., 4.5 oz. 

 Cellular lava, 2. 3 X 1.5 X 1.4 in., 4 oz. 



4829 

 4816 

 4812 

 4817 

 8051 

 8049 

 7648 



4819 

 8048 



4827 



7749 

 4842 



Rolled lava, 2.35X1.9X 1.8 iu., 6.5 oz 

 Rolled lava, 2.1 X 1.6 in., 4.5 oz. 

 Rolled lava, 2.1 X 1.65 in., 4.5 oz. 

 Cellular, 2.1X i-SX 1.4 in., 3.5 oz. 

 2X1.65X 1.5 in., 4 oz. 

 Well-rolled, 2.2X i .55X 1.45 in., 4 oz. 



Average 2.65X 1.64X i 54 in., 4.73 oz. 



P'lGURE 7. 



4837 

 4838 



4839 

 4840 

 4841 



Smooth, 2.4X1. 4X1.2 in., 3.2 oz. 

 Rough rolled, 2.4X1.5 in., 3.7 oz. 

 Brown, smooth, 2.4X1.8 in., 6 oz. 

 Grey lava, 2.6X 1.6X 1.4 in., 4.5 oz. 

 Ground, 2.6X1.6X1.5 in., 4.7 oz. 

 Very irregular, 2.8X 1.5X 1.4 in., 5 oz. 

 Rough, tufa-like, 2.3X 1.7X 1.6 in., 5.2 oz. 

 Lava, 1.9X r.65 in., 3.7 oz. 

 Cellular lava, 1.9X1.45X 1.2 in., 3 oz. 

 Lava, 2X 1.5X 1.3 in., 3 oz. 

 Flattened, 2.1X1.5X1.1 in., 2.7 oz. 

 Round, rough (Xoa?), 1.5 in., 3 oz. 



Cellular, 1.7X1.5 in., 3 oz. 

 Defective, 2. 4X1. 65X1. 5 in., 4.2 oz. 

 Nearly round, i .9X i .7 in., 4 oz. 

 Cellular, 2.2X1. 7X1.6 in., 4.7 oz. 

 Cellular, 2.1X 1.5X1.4 in., 3.2 oz. 



The heaviest weighs 10 oz., the lightest 2.7 oz. 

 [34,S] 



