IN'HABITANTS OP THE POGGY ISLANDS. 85 



from their communication with the inhabitants of Sw 

 7natra. They are Itill ftrangcrs to the iile of coin of 

 any kind, and a metal coat button would be of equal 

 value in their efteem with a piece of gold or filvcr coin, 

 either of w'hich would immediately be hung about the 

 neck as an ornament. A fort of iron hatchet or hand- 

 bill, CdW^dparang, is in much efteem with them, and 

 ferv'es as a ftandard for the value of various commodi- 

 ties, fuch as cocoa nuts, coolit coys, poultry, &c. 



We were informed that tlie different tribes of O/v?;/^ 

 JMantaiveevs'h.o inhaljit the Poggy illands never vvarwith 

 each other ; to which account we could readily give 

 credit from the mildnefs of their difoofition. Indeed 

 the friendly footing upon which they appeared to live 

 one with another was a circumltance too llriking to 

 efcape our notice ; during our whole ftay with them, 

 and while diitributing various prefents among them, 

 we never heard a fingle difpute, nor obferv^ed one angry 

 gefture. They however informed us that a feud has 

 long fubfifted between the inhabitants of the Poggy 

 iflands, and thofe of fome ifland to the northward, 

 whom they called Sybee. Again ft thefe people they 

 fometimes undertake expeditions in their war canoes ; 

 but it did not appear that they had engaged in any un- 

 dertaking of this kind lately. Mr. Best mcafured 

 one of thefe war canoes, which was preferved with great 

 care under a iTied ; the lloor of it was twenty-five feet 

 in length, the prow^ proje(5led twenty-two feet, and the 

 ftern eighteen, making the whole length fixty-tive feet ; 

 the greateft breadth was five feet, and the depth three 

 feet eight inches. For navigating in their rivers and 

 the ftraights of See Cockup, where the fea is as fniooth 

 as glafs, they ufe a fmall canoe made from a lingle 

 tree, conftru6led with great neatnefs, and the women 

 and young children are extremely expert in the ufe of 

 the paddle. 



The religion of this people, if it' can be faid that 



F 3 ' they 



