> a, 
4) 
ag 
at once in the space of 3 or 4 hours time; they always 
have water on hand to extinguish the fire should it 
become too strong, and to prevent the canoe getting 
burnt; a tree which has ten feet in circumference, is 
generally 54 feet wide, one of 9 feet 44 feet, and so on. 
Very seldom do the Indians trim up their Pirogues, as for 
that purpose they would require nails and boards, which 
they, and particularly those who live in the interior, 
cannot well come at; for this reason some are con- 
tented with boarding up the sides, fore and aft, with thin 
boards of a certain palm tree, four inches wide, which 
THE INDIANS OF GUIANA, 55 
they understand to fasten together so tightly, that no 
water can get in; they likewise place across some 
pieces of wood to serve for cross beams, to make the 
craft tighter and at the same time to serve for benches 
for the paddlers, sitting two, side by side. In the after 
prow they fasten a sort of rudder, or steer it with a 
paddle, called Pagaye. The pagayes are made of very 
light wood, 5 or 6 feet long, in the shape of bakers 
shovels ; the other paddles are of the length of 2} feet, 
and six inches broad, thin at the end of that part which 
enters the water; the handle ends commonly of a half 
moon shape, in order to have a better grasp. 
In a hollow sea a pagaye is preferred to an oar, 
because the waves must be cleared quickly and _ is 
sooner done with a pagaye than an oar, which requires 
two motions; they not only make use of their craft for 
rowing, but likewise sail with them. Their sails are 
almost square, and sometimes made of canes split 
lengthways, in the shape of laths, placed close to- 
gether, and fastened with Liane or Pita threads. The 
men fell trees, and clear the ground for provision gar- 
