BIVAL CONTBACTOB 63 



settled satisfactorily, I having given the contract to a 

 native builder, and with the promise of a premium for 

 each day she was in the water before a certain date, he 

 at the same time being liable to a corresponding fine 

 for each day she was late. 



The work was now commenced, but before any pro- 

 gress had been made to speak of, a rival builder, whose 

 claim was that he had always before constructed boats 

 for the Europeans, appeared upon the scene, and tried 

 to assert his claims to have the work put into his hands. 

 Finding that his demands received no attention, he col- 

 lected a band of such riffraff as he could find, and did 

 all he could to hinder my man at his work, and it was 

 only after an appeal to the Consul that this obstruction 

 was put a stop to by his representation to the prefect 

 of the town. This disturbance, I may mention, caused 

 a cessation of work for a fortnight. I should here say 

 that my contract was for a boat about 36 feet on the 

 water-line, to be built of pine, with 10 feet beam, and 

 having a flat floor and long counter, the only difference 

 in the construction of the actual hull from that of the 

 ordinary native gunboats being that on each side of the 

 timbers, which were of a red wood resembling juniper, 

 there should be a good knee of the same wood, the 

 ordinary practice being to have one only. I stipulated 

 for this extra strengthening because, as it may be 



