CHAP. XXV.] BOAT-BUILDING UNDER DIFFICULTIES. 109 



to see a white man at work, and much astonished at the 

 novel arrangements I was making in one of their native 

 vessels. Luckily I had a few tools of my own, including a 

 small saw and some chisels, and these were now severely 

 tried, cutting and fitting heavy iron-wood planks for the 

 flooring and the posts that support the triangular mast. 

 Being of the best London make, they stood the work well, 

 and without them it would have been impossible for me 

 to have finished my boat with half the neatness, or in 

 double the time. I had a Ke workman to put in new ribs, 

 for which I bought nails of a Bugis trader, at ^d. a pound. 

 My gimlets were, however, too small; and having no augers 

 we were obliged to bore all the holes with hot irons, a 

 most tedious and unsatisfactory operation. 



Five men had engaged to work at the prau till finished, 

 and then go with me to Mysol, Waigiou, and Ternate. Their 

 ideas of work were, however, very different from mine, and 

 I had immense difficulty with them ; seldom more than 

 two or three coming together, and a hundred excuses being 

 given for working only half a day when they did come. 

 Yet they were constantly begging advances of money, 

 saying they had nothing to eat. "When I gave it them they 

 were sure to stay away the next day, and when I refused 

 any further advances some of them declined working any 

 more. As the boat approached completion my difficulties 

 with the men increased. The uncle of one had commenced 



