Linton — Tlie Marquesas Islands 311 



The longitudinal strips covering the outside seams of the canoe were 

 painted black and ornamented at each lashing by tufts of white feathers of the 

 tevake bird. The feathers were placed on the stern side of each lashing, and were 

 held in place by the two or three rearmost loops, their inner ends resting directly 

 upon the strip. 



The temporary decorations in most general use consisted of coconut fronds 

 which were placed along the sides of the bow and stern platforms with their lower 

 edges trailing in the water. According to one informant they were also placed 

 along the sides of the canoe, but no mention of this is made by early writers. 

 Stewart (59, p. 244) says that in the large canoe seen by him "between the 

 figure head and the bow, three green coconut leaves, four or five feet high, were 

 fastened erectly." Porter (49, p. 102) says: "The seat of the coxswain is highly 

 ornamented with palm leaves and white cloth." 



Porter (op. cit.) says that the bow was ornamented with pearl shells strung 

 on coconut branches. 



Two cords were run from the rear corners of the stern platform to the tip 

 of the stern piece, these cords being decorated with tufts of human hair and pava- 

 hina (ornaments made from white beards). These cords are still present in one 

 of the old models, attached to the ends of long poles projecting from the stern 

 platform. It seems probable that long tapa streamers were also attached to the 

 stern piece, as several of the models are decorated in this way. 



Stewart (59, p. 327) says: "A skull was lashed on each corner of the plat- 

 form elevated at the stern." According to .an old informant, the bodies of any 

 enemies killed during a raid were laid across the neck of the bow piece during 

 the homeward voyage. 



HANDLING OF THE CANOES 



According to informants the large war canoes were never sailed, but small 

 canoes and double canoes, made from two craft of this type lashed together, were 

 sometimes sailed. The paddlers sat two on a seat and paddled rhythmically, 

 usually chanting" in time to the strokes. The steersman sat on the raised stern 

 platform, using a long paddle of ordinary Marquesan form. According to one in- 

 formant there were two steersmen, one on either side. Porter (49, p. 102) says of 

 these craft: "They are not so fleet as might be expected, as our whale boats could 

 beat them with great ease," and all the early accounts agree that they were rather 

 poorly handled. 



SPECIAL TYPES OF CANOES 



Mention has been made of double canoes, but according to all the informa- 

 tion obtained l)y the author these were simply canoes of the built u]) type which 



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