292 THE CRUISE OF TEE " CACHALOT:' 



that is, of wicker-work, covered with some waterproof 

 substance, whether skin or tarpaulin. But the ingenious 

 Kanaka, not content with his coracles, had gone one 

 better, and copied them in dugouts of solid timber. The 

 resultant vessel was a sort of cross between a butcher's 

 tray and a wash-basin — 



" A thing beyond 

 Conception : such a wretched wherry, 

 Perhaps ne'er ventured ou a pond, 

 Or crossed a ferry." 



The proud possessors of the coracles, both wicker and 

 wood, must have been poor indeed, for they did not even 

 own a paddle, propelling their basins through the water 

 with their hands. It may be imagined what a pace they 

 put on ! At a little distance they were very puzzling, 

 looking more like a water-beetle grown fat and lazy than 

 aught else. 



And so, in everything floatable, the whole male 

 population of that part of the coast came to visit us. 

 "We were speedily the centre of a great crowd of canoes, 

 some of which were continually capsizing and spilling 

 their occupants, who took no more notice of such inci- 

 dents than one would of a sneeze. Underneath a canoe, 

 or on top, made but little difference to these amphibious 

 creatures. They brought nothing with them to trade; 

 in fact, few of their vessels were capable of carrying 

 anything that could not swim and take care of itself. 

 As they came on board, each crossed himself more or 

 less devoutly, revealing the teaching of a Roman Catholic 

 mission ; and as they called to one another, it was not 

 hard to recognize, evtn in their native garb, such names 

 as Erreneo (Irenaeus), Al'seo (Aloysius), and other 

 favourite cognomens of saints. 



A laughing, chattering, good-tempered crowd they 



