426 The Ke Islands. 



than rude practical skill in forming each edge to the true cor- 

 responding curves, and in boring the holes so as exactly to 

 match both in j^osition and direction, yet so well is it done 

 that the best European shipwright can not produce sounder 

 or closer-fitting joints. The boat is built up in this way by 

 fitting plank to plank till the proper height and width are ob- 

 tained. We have now a skin held together entirely by the 

 hard- wood pins connecting the edges of the planks, very strong 

 and elastic, but having nothing but the adhesion of these pins 

 to prevent the planks gaping. In the smaller boats seats, in 

 the larger ones cross-beams, are now fixed. They are sprung 

 into slight notches cut to receive them, and are further se- 

 cured to the projecting pieces of the plank below by a strong 

 lashing of rattan. Ribs are now formed of single pieces of 

 tough wood chosen and trimmed so as exactly to fit on to the 

 projections from each plank, being slightly notched to receive 

 them, and securely bound to them by rattans passed through 

 a hole in each projecting piece close to the surface of the 

 plank. The ends are closed against the vertical prow and 

 stern posts, and further secured with pegs and rattans, and 

 then the boat is complete; and when fitted with rudders, 

 masts, and thatched covering, is ready to do battle with the 

 waves. A careful consideration of the principle of this mode 

 of construction, and allowing for the strength and binding 

 qualities of rattan (which I'esembles in these respects wire 

 rather than cordage), makes me believe that a vessel careful- 

 ly built in this manner is actually stronger and safer than one 

 fastened in the ordinary way Avith nails. 



During our stay here we were all very busy. Our captain 

 was daily superintending the completion of his two small praus. 

 All day long native boats were coming with fish, cocoa-nuts, 

 parrots and lories, earthen pans, sirip-leaf, wooden bowls, and 

 trays, etc., etc., which every one of the fifty inhabitants of our 

 prau seemed to be buying on his own account, till all available 

 and most unavailable space of our vessel was occupied with 

 these miscellaneous articles : for every man on board a prau 

 considers himself at liberty to trade, and to carry with him 

 whatever he can afford to buy. 



Money is unknown and valueless here — knives, cloth, and 

 arrack forming the only medium of exchange, with tobacco 



