262 THE CRUISE OF THE 'VURAgOA.' 



supposed to be moving on with the protecting bowl. Bnt all 

 this, of course, is mere conjecture. Most of the men in the 

 canoes are represented as wearing high combs projecting from 

 their heads, and one, singularly enough, is decorated with 

 the by no means delectable hat, which, I suppose, I may be 

 permitted to call the hat of civilisation. The whole subject 

 of this side of the beam is contained in ornamental borders, 

 and the extremities are curved downwards w^ith a circular- 

 shaped opening by which tliey are attached to the two 

 purlins, one on each side of the roof, as will be seen by a 

 reference to the illustration copied from Mr. Codrington's 

 interesting sketch of part of one of these buildings.' 



The sketch in question represents an interior with a 

 raised platform at one end ; the w^alls are low, and suj)port 

 a sloping roof At a certain height on either side is a mas- 

 sive beam or purlin resting on a kind of stoiy-post going 

 down to tlie lioor, the upper portion of which is cai'ved to 

 represent a lunuan figure resting on a column. To ti.e 

 l)urliii is attached an ornamental tie-beam, evidently of the 

 same character as that just described. Slung fi-om the roof, 

 or resting on the platform, are some very large wooden ka\a 

 bowls, two of which only are represented here, partially 

 inlaid with pieces of cone shells. The rafters and purlms 

 are decorated with different designs in various colours, the 



' The length of this tie-beam, now in the Maidstone Museum, is 

 fifteen feet two inches, the width one foot three inches, not inchiding 

 the extremities of the birds' tail.s, which extend nine inches b33-ond 

 the beam. 



