613 



^rom the fact that they are built with two dug-outs instead 

 of one (as is the ca&e with the VcigaJ, they are able to stand 

 Jieavy weather better than the latter, and they are also able 

 to carry more cargo. 



Description of Native Canoes and of Native Sailing (comp. 

 pis. XXXV., xxxvi., and xxxvii., also pi. xxviii., fig. 1). — 

 The hull of the Oro'n consists of two dug-outs joined together 

 by a set of poles, on which rests a platform. There is no 

 •differentiation between bow and stern, as it is sailed either 

 way ; but the hull is not bilaterally symmetrical, because one 

 of the dug-outs is larger than the other, and it is on the larger 

 one that the mast is fixed ; there is also a small lateral 

 platform on the same side. The dug-out on the mast side is 

 ■called Tsehi; the smaller on© is called Ldrima, a name also 

 given to the floats of the small outrigger canoes. The dug- 

 outs are at the present time made of the wood of the Moda^ 

 which is one of the tall, tropical trees with buttressed trunks. 

 In olden days, before the white man's implements were in use, 

 the Ilimo tree, the wood of which is much softer than that of 

 the Moda, was used for this purpose, as the latter was too 

 hard for their stone tools. The trees were secured in olden 

 days on the Baireho River, which is on the mainland, opposite 

 Mailu, or in Lea, the district where they used to make sago. 

 Expeditions in search of this timber consisted of a number of 

 men, as it was necessary to be prepared for defence. The tree 

 was felled, dragged to the water, and brought to Mailu, where 

 in olden days they were hollowed out with stone tomahawks, 

 iDut now the work is done exclusively with steel implements. 

 The log, after excavation, was provided with a fairly high 

 gunwale, made of two long planks, placed one on each side, 

 and two short ones at the ends. The gunwale (Oro'u tsipa) 

 is lashed to the dug-out log by means of a fairly thin, but 



Oanoe Making. 



Fig. 27. Transverse section of one of the canoes, which forms 

 the baisis of the double canoe (Or6''u). It shows the planks 

 ia, a) forming the gunw^ale, and the dug-out log (h) forming 

 "the bottom of the canoe. 



