Chap, xviii.] NATIVE WEAPONS. 



40s 



The principal weapon is a lance formed of a small fle.xible 

 shaft of tough wood, a natural stem often, with the bark 

 trimmed off, to the thicker end of which is attached a heavy 

 head of obsidian or volcanic glass, which, in size, appears out 

 of proportion with the light shaft. The obsidian lance-head is 

 usually of a conical form, but some of the weapons have a knife- 

 edge in front, and some are irregular. They are shaped by bold 

 wide flaking. The points and edges are often slightly re- 

 chipped in order to sharpen them, but the original faces and 

 angles are never worked up for the sake of symmetry or balance, 

 but remain rough. Many lances have their edges and points 

 sharp and perfect, though formed entirely by the original 

 flaking. The hinder borders of the lance-heads are simply 

 rounded. They are secured in a socket of wood attached to 

 the end of the shaft by means of a cement,* and by being bound 

 round with fine twine. 



Many of the lance-heads are of most irregular forms, remain- 

 ing just as they happened to flake out in manufacture. 



The heads of the lances are kept covered with a conical 

 sheath of dried plantain leaf made to fit. The natives possess 

 an enormous store of these weapons. They have piles of them 

 lying on the outriggers of the canoes. On shore the men com- 

 monly carried two or three in their hands. In a dispute along- 

 side the ship one of the lances was instantly snatched up and 

 made ready. They are used for hunting wild pigs as well as 

 for fighting. The natives pointed to the mountains of the Main 

 Island as the source of the obsidian. They parted with the 

 lances readily, and the material must be abundant. The lances 

 are thrown in the usual manner, grasped by the naked hand, 

 being first made to quiver by a shaking motion of the hand for 

 some seconds. 



Though there is an enormous abundance of Wild Pigeons at 

 the islands, the natives have invented no means of shooting 

 them. They can only climb the trees and catch them at roost, 

 or knock them off the nest. 



The natives are extremely expert in wood carving, and show 

 most remarkable taste in their designs. The lance-heads are 

 often carved, the carving taking the form mostly of incised 

 patterns, the effect being heightened and beautified by the use 

 of black, white, and red pigments. 



The white pigment is made of coral lime, the red of burnt 

 clay, the black possibly of charcoal of some kind. The guar- 

 dian deities carved on the door-posts of the temples and posts 



* Made from the pounded fruit of Parinarumi laurinum. The same 

 cement is used for caulking the seams of the canoes. It is excessively 

 hard and firm when set. It is in use also in various parts of Polynesia. 



