THE ANCIENT ISLANDERS 35 



the construction of their Launches made of Pine planking 

 [tablazon]. They are from eight to ten varas [twenty- two to 

 twenty-seven and one-half feet] in length, including their rake, 

 and of a vara and half [four feet one and one-half inches] beam. 

 Into their fabric enters no iron whatever, of the use of which 

 they know httle. But they fasten the boards with firmness, 

 one to another, working their drills just so far apart, and at 

 a distance of an inch from the edge, the [holes] in the upper 

 boards corresponding with those in the lower ; and thro' 

 these holes they pass strong lasliings of Deer sinews. They 

 pitch and calk the seams, and paint the whole in sightly colors. 

 They handle the [boats] with equal cleverness, and three or 

 four Men go out to the open sea to fish in them, as they have 

 capacity to carry eight or ten. They use long oars with two 

 blades, and row with unspeakable lightness and velocity. 

 They know all the arts of fishing, and Fish abound along their 

 Coasts, as has been said of San Diego. They have communi- 

 cation and Commerce with the Natives of the Islands, whence 

 they get the beads of coral* wliich are current in place of 

 money thro' all these Lands; altho' they hold in more esteem 

 the glass beads which the Spaniards gave them — and offered 

 in exchange for these whatever they had, hke trays, Otter 

 Skins, baskets and wooden plates. More than anything they 

 appreciate whatsoever clasp-knife [navaja] or cutting instru- 

 ment; whose advantages over the [implements] of flint, they 

 admire; it causing them much satisfaction to see use made of 

 the axes and machetes, and the facility with which the soldiers, 

 to make firewood, felled a Tree with the said Instruments." 



* Doubtless shell {dentalium) is meant, as the large coral here is from 

 deep water. 



