EuTLAND. — Histonj of the Pacific. 41 



peans or had European appliances at their command/'' Here, 

 then, we might reasonably expect to discover some clue to the 

 mystery of the Polynesian monuments. But, before proceed- 

 ing further, it will be well to examine the Polynesian people 

 themselves. 



Pigafetta, who accompanied Magellan, and was conse- 

 quently one of the first Europeans who became acquainted 

 with the inhabitants of the Pacific, has left an account of the 

 outrigger canoes used by the natives of the Ladrones, and then 

 seen for the first time by the Spanish explorers.! These 

 strange craft, having the stem and stern alike, he tells us, 

 were so dexterously handled by their occupants that they 

 could pass between the Spanish ship and a boat towing 

 astern. 



Dampier, who visited the Ladrones in 1675, has given the 

 following description of these canoes, or "flying proas" as 

 they were termed: "The natives are very ingenious beyond 

 any people in making boats, or ' proas ' as they are called in 

 the East Indies, and therein they take great delight. These 

 are built sharp at both ends. The bottom is of one piece, 

 made like the bottom of a little canoe, very neatly dug, and 

 left of a good substance. This bottom part is mstead of a keel; 

 it is about 26ft. or 28ft. long. The under part of this keel is 

 made round, but inclining to a wedge, and smooth ; and the 

 upper part is almost flat, having a very gentle hollow, and is 

 about 1ft. broad. From hence both sides of the boat are car- 

 ried up to about 5ft. high with narrow planks not above 4in. 

 or 5in. broad ; and each end of the boat turns up round very 

 prettily. But, what is very singular, one side of the boat is 

 made perpendicular, like a wall, while the other side is round- 

 ing, made as other vessels are, with a pretty full belly. Just 

 in the middle it is about 4ft. or 5ft. broad aloft, or more, 

 according to the length of the boat. The mast stands exactly 

 in the middle, with a long yard that peaks up and down like a 

 mizzen-yard. One end of it reaches down to the end or head 

 of the boat, where it is placed in a notch that is made there 

 purposely to receive it and keep it fast ; the other end hangs 

 over the stern. To this yard the sail is fastened. At the foot 

 of the sail there is another small yard, to keep the sail out 

 square, and to roll up the sail on when it blows hard ; for it 

 serves instead of a reef to take up the sail to what degree they 

 please, according to the strength of the wind. Along the 

 belly side of the boat, parallel with it, at 6ft. or 7ft. distance, 

 lies another small boat or canoe, being a log of very light 

 wood, almost as long as the great boat, but not so wide, being 



* "Malay Archipelago." A. R. Wallace. 



t " Life of Ferdinand Magellan." F. H. Guillemard. 



