MICRONESIA. J03 



still greater size, and the partition is made of sufficient height to 

 enable the people to stand upright under it. 



The council-houses have no lofts, and are of great size. That at 

 the town of Utiroa, on Taputeouea, was a hundred and twenty feet 

 long, by forty-five wide, and about forty high at the ridge-pole. On 

 the islands to the north they are still larger, and from the descriptions 

 of the two seamen, as well as from the distant view which we had of 

 them, must be enormous structures. 



Their canoes resemble very nearly, in model, construction, and 

 rig, those of the Feejeeans. They are not flat on one side, like those 

 of the Mulgrave islanders, but have the shape of a long and narrow 

 boat. The largest, which are found at Makin, are not less than sixty 

 feet in length, by six in width. They sail very near the wind, and 

 move with a rapidity which has acquired for them the name of 

 " flying proas." 



The dress, ornaments, and arms of the natives do not differ mate- 

 rially from those which have been described as proper to the people 

 on the low islands of this archipelago. The defensive armour, how- 

 ever, intended to protect the body from the formidable edges of the 

 sharks-teeth weapons, is probably peculiar to them. It consists of a 

 jacket and trousers of a very thick, close network, braided of cocoa- 

 nut sirmet, and a cuirass made likewise of this cord, but woven so 

 compactly, and in so many thicknesses, as to form a solid board, half 

 an inch through, which would form a tolerable defence even against 

 the blow of a sword. Its shape is nearly that of the ancient cuirass, 

 except that a square piece rises up behind to protect the head from a 

 side blow. They have also caps or helmets, ingeniously made of the 

 skin of the porcupine-fish, cut off at the head and then extended to 

 the proper size. It becomes stiff and hard in drying, and the spines 

 protruding on every side aid in warding off the blows of the dreaded 

 weapons. 



ROTUMA, OR GRANVILLE ISLAND. 



This island is situated in 12 30' of north latitude, and 177 15' of 

 east longitude. It is three hundred miles distant from any other 

 land, and cannot properly be included in either one of the three 

 ethnographical regions of the Pacific. Its inhabitants more resemble 

 the Caroline islanders in their appearance and character, but their 

 customs assimilate them rather to the Polynesians. Their dialect is 



