OP LA PEROUSE. 247 



Thefc iflanders have particularly turned their 

 induftry towards the making of their weapons, 

 which are wrought with great fkill. We ad- 

 mired the art with which they had coated with 

 rofin the ftring of their bows, fo that it might at 

 firft light have been taken for catgut; it was 

 covered near the middle with the bark of rattan, 

 in order that it might be lefs worn, in letting fly 

 their arrows. The lower part of thefe arrows is 

 very light, it being formed of the ftalk of the faccha- 

 mmfpontaneum\ the other half is made of a very 

 hard wood well fharpened; the point of junction 

 is fecured in a workmanlike manner, with about 

 thirty turns of the filaments of the bark of rattan, 

 as well as the lower part of the arrow, near the 

 place that bears on the firing, in order to increale 

 its folidity. 



Their canoes, which are made of feveral planks 

 joined together with art, are of an elegant form, 

 extremely well calculated for going far! through 

 the water. See Plate XLIIL Fig. i. 



On the approach of night a current, which 

 fet to the north north-weft, caufed a rippling, 

 that fo much refembled the effecl: of a fhoal as 

 to deceive the moft experienced eye : a boat was 

 lent to found there, but no bottom was found at 

 twenty fathoms. 



Violent claps of thunder iffued, during the 

 night, from the thick clouds which hung on the 



* 4 hi S h 



