158 GENERAL ACCOUNT OF SOUTH SEA ISLANDS CH. vn 



nor is their height increased in much greater proportion. 

 They may be subdivided into three sorts, the fighting ivahah, 

 the common sailing or fishing ivahah, and the travelling 

 ivahah. The fighting ivahah is by far the longest ; the head 

 and stern of these are considerably raised above the body 

 in a semicircular form, 17 or 18 feet in height when the 

 centre is scarcely 3 feet. These boats never go to sea singly ; 

 two are always fastened together side by side at the distance 

 of about two feet by strong poles of wood extending across 

 both, and upon them is built a stage in the fore-part about 

 ten or twelve feet long, and a little broader than the two 

 boats : this is supported by pillars about ix feet high, and 



Fig. i. 



Fig.2. 



upon it stand the people who fight with slings, spears, etc. 

 Below are the rowers, who are much less engaged in the 

 battle on account of their confined situation, but who receive 

 the wounded from the stage, and furnish fresh men to ascend 

 in their room. (This much from description, for I never 

 saw any of their battles.) 



The sailing and fishing ivahahs vary in size from about 

 40 feet in length to the smallest I have mentioned, but 

 those which are under 25 feet in length seldom or never 

 carry sail : their sterns only are raised, and those not 

 above four or five feet : their prows are quite flat, and 

 have a flat board projecting forwards about four feet beyond 

 them. 



Those which I have called travelling ivahahs differ 

 from these in nothing except that two are constantly 



