Linton — The Marquesas Islands 307 



stern pieces, while the third was midway between them. Other lashing holes were pierced 

 through the lower edges of the projecting ends of the side plank and served to attach it to 

 the bow and stern pieces, while still others were made under the gunwale at either end to serve 

 for the attachment of bow and stern platforms. Where a supplementary breakwater was used, 

 holes for its attachment were pierced through the forward ends of the side planks near their 



outer edges. 



The Strips 



Four strips were used to cover the seams between the underbody and the 

 side planks, bow and stern pieces. 



The strips were of unequal length, the two outside strips extending the full length of 

 the imderbody while the inside strips only covered the space between the inner ends of the bow 

 and stern pieces. The upper edges of the inside strips were cut away for a short distance at 

 either end so as to form a close joint with the lower corners of the bow and stern pieces. 

 The strips were made either of soft wood or bamboo and were an inch to an inch and a half 

 in width. When bamboo was used a stalk was split lengthwise and the divisions at the joints 

 cut out. The wooden strips were rounded on the outside and hollowed longitudinally on the 

 inner surface. On long canoes the strips were made in several sections, but there seems to 

 have been no definite order in the arrangement of these. Although the edges of the strips 

 were cut to fit the sides of the canoe as accurately as possible, their purpose appears to have 

 been to protect the pad used between the underbody and the upper sections rather than to make 

 the seam watertight. 



Other Canoe Parts 



Other elements were sometimes incorporated into the built up canoes. 



A supplementary breakwater was in common use (PI. xlii, F), consisting of a thin plank, 

 in the form of a broad flat crescent with stubby points, which was sometimes attached to the 

 upper edge of the bow breakwater. The lower edge of this plank rested upon the top of the 

 breakwater and was accurately fitted to it, while the sides projected beyond the sides of the 

 bow piece. It was attached by lashings to the center of the breakwater and at the ends of 

 the side planks. 



A second feature, of greater ethnological interest, was the use of bulkheads. No in- 

 formation was obtained from the natives in regard to bulkheads, but they are shown in certain 

 canoe models and are mentioned by Porter in his description of the Ua Huka canoes. He 

 says : "Three pieces of thin plank, placed in the manner of partitions, divide the interior into 

 four parts and perform the office of timbers to keep the vessel from separating or closing." 

 (49, p. 79.) Judging from the models, these planks were cut to fit accurately the interior 

 of the canoe, being notched on either side to accommodate the strip covering the side 

 seam. The tops were flush with gunwales to which, in one model, they were fastened by single 

 lashings near the top on either side. 



It is probable that thwarts designed simply to strengthen the canoe were not used, but 

 the war canoes had seats for paddlers. According to informants the seats were flat planks 

 resting upon the top of the inside strips. Large canoes might have as many as ten seats. 



ASSEMBLING THE CANOE 



In some of the larger valleys the canoes were kept in special houses on the 

 beach, and were probably left assembled at all times. According to informants 

 in other places, canoes were usually taken to pieces as soon as they were beached 

 and the parts carried up into the valley. A highly probable explanation of this 



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