194" REMARKS AND OPINIONS. 



for iron, of which they are in want. A squadron 

 of ten sail, five from Mogemug, and five from 

 Eap, performed this voyage ; and Kadu was per- 

 sonally acquainted with the seamen at Eap. 



They are guided in their voyages by the starry 

 firmament, wiiich they divide into constellations, 

 giving each its particular name. * 



They seem to observe, in every voyage, the 

 rising or setting of another constellation. A mis- 

 understood expression of Cantova has caused the 

 knowledge of the magnetic needle to be ascribed 

 to them, t Cantova means only the division of 

 the horizon into twelve points, which we have 

 given with other denominations of the rhumbs and 

 winds, in our vocabulary, after Don Luis de 

 Torres, and Kadu. The steersman of a boat lays, 

 according to D. Luis, a piece of wood, a little stick, 

 flat before him, and considers himself guided by 

 this, as we by the compass. It seems probable to 

 us, that this stick, placed in the moment of obser- 

 vation, in the seas, where the winds are constant, 

 may serve to represent to them the way they have 

 to keep, with respect to the wind. 



They count the days and months on the Caroline 

 islands, and divide the year into seasons, according 

 to the disappearing and re-appearing of the con- 

 stellations ; but nobody counts the years. What 



* According to Cantova they learn astronomy : " Le maitre 

 a une sphere, oil sont traces les principaux astres." 



f lis se servent d'une boussole qui a douze aires de vent. 



