1769 BOAT-BUILDING 161 



all round with a frame of wood, and has no contrivance 

 either for reefing or furling, so that in case of bad weather 

 it must be entirely cut away ; but I fancy that in these 

 moderate climates they are seldom brought to this necessity. 

 The material of which it is made is universally matting. 

 With these sails their canoes go at a very good rate, and 

 lie very near the wind, probably on account of their sail 

 being bordered with wood, which makes them stand better 

 than any bow-lines could possibly do. On the top of this 

 sail they carry an ornament which, in taste, resembles much 

 our pennants ; it is made of feathers, and reaches down to 

 the very water, so that when blown out by the wind it 

 makes no inconsiderable show. They are fond of ornaments 

 in all parts of their boats ; in the good ones they commonly 

 have a figure at the stern, and in the pahies they have a 

 figure at both ends, and the smaller ivahahs have usually 

 a small carved pillar upon the stern. 



Considering that these people are so entirely destitute of 

 iron, they build these canoes very well. Of the ivahahs the 

 foundation is always the trunks of one or more trees 

 hollowed out : the ends of these are sloped off, and sewed 

 together with the fibres of the husk of the cocoanut ; the 

 sides are then raised with planks sewed together in the same 

 manner. 



The pahies, as they are much better embarkations, so 

 they are built in a more ingenious manner. Like the 

 others they are laid upon a long keel, which, however, is not 

 more than four or five inches deep. Upon this they raise 

 two ranges of planks, each of which is about eighteen inches 

 high, and about four or five feet in length : such a number 

 of pieces must necessarily be framed and fitted together 

 before they are sewed ; and this they do very dexterously, 

 supporting the keel by ropes made fast to the top of the 

 house under which they work, and each plank by a 

 stanchion ; so that the canoe is completely put together 

 before any one part is fastened to the next, and in this 

 manner it is supported till the sewing is completed. This, 

 however, soon rots in the salt water ; it must be renewed 



M 



