102 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 



Alison, "\('h6 in liis ndfr.'itivc gives ii tioure of a flying prao of Guam, 

 dirt'ers from Dampioi* in corrct-tly stating that the flat .side is always 

 kept to the loewanl and tho outrigger to the windwaid. He describes 

 the outrigger as a log fashioned in the shape of a small boat and made 

 hollow, the sail made of matting, and the mast, yard, and thwartship 

 ])ieees connecting the outrigg(>r. of l)am])oo. In his flgure, however, 

 the sail is shown incorrectly. It should be of lateen or triangular 

 shape with the upper yardarm projecting well aft l)eyond the stern." 



Besides the large praos they hatl small canoes, which were ver}' 

 swift, light, and prettv, "for they painted them with a coating made 

 of red earth from the island of Guam, mixed with lime, with cocomit 

 oil as a medium, which beautitied them greatly. " * Pigafetta, in speaking 

 of their canoes, says that they were all painted; some black and others 

 red. They had paddles of the form of bakers' shovels, which could be 

 used either for steering or propelling- the canoes. 



MENTAL AND MORAL CHARACTERISTICS. 



In counting the}' used a decimal system, the names of the numerals 

 corresponding with those of Malayo- Polynesian languages. Difl'erent 

 forms of numerals were used in counting living and dead objects, and 

 in expressing measurements.'^ 



They were a happy, careless people, fond of festivities, dancing, 

 singing, story telling, and contests of strength and skill, 3'et sufli- 

 ciently industrious to cultivate their fields and garden patches, build 

 excellent houses for their families, braid mats of fine texture, and con- 

 struct canoes which were the admiration of all the earlv navigators. 

 They were much given to bufl'oonery, mockery, placing tricks, jest- 

 ing, mimicry, and ridicule, ofiering in this respect a striking contrast 

 to the undemonstrative Malayans. Legazpi, who visited the island 

 in 1565, speaks of the loud laughter of those who surrounded his ship.;. 

 In selling rice to passing ships they would often increase the weight 

 and bulk of the packages by stones and leaves. " For each nail,"" says 

 Legazpi, " they gave measures of rice containing half a fanega,'' more 

 or less.'' When straw and stones at the bottom of the packages were 

 discovered by the Spaniards, the natives seemed to regard the decep- 

 tion as a huge joke; they "clapped their hands in glee and laughed 

 long and loud, going from that vessel to another and playing the same 

 trick. Then again thev would take nails and flv without giving anv- 

 thing- in return.'"' On the other hand, the Spaniards gave them in 

 exchange for rice and fruits — the most valuable possessions of the 



«See Anson, Voyage Round the World, p. 340, 1748. 

 6 Garcia, Vida y Martyrio de Sanvitores, p. 198, 1683. 



"For numeral system and calendar of the aborigines, see Safford, W. E., Tho 

 Chamorro language of Guam, Amer. Antlirop., n. s., vol. 6, pp. 95-104, 1904. 

 <' A fanega is about 1.6 bushels. 



