L02 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 



Anson, who in his narrative gives a figure of a flying prao of Guam, 

 liffers from Dampier in correctly stating that the flat side is always 

 iept to the leeward and the outrigger to the windward. He describes 

 ;he outrigger as a log fashioned in the shape of a small boat and made 

 loUow, the sail made of matting, and the mast, yard, and thwartship 

 Dieces connecting the outrigger, of bamboo. In his figure, however, 

 :he sail is shown incorrectly. It should be of lateen or triangular 

 shape with the upper yardarm projecting well aft beyond the stern." 



Besides the large praos they had small canoes, which were veiy 

 iwift, light, and pretty, ''for they painted them with a coating made 

 )f red earth from the island of Guam, mixed with lime, with coconut 

 )il as a medium, which beautified them greatly. " ' Pigaf etta, in speaking 

 )f their canoes, says that they were all painted; some black and others 

 •ed. They had paddles of the form of bakers' shovels, which could be 

 ised either for steering or propelling the canoes. 



MENTAL AND MOEAL CHAEACTEEISTICS. 



In counting they used a decimal system, the names of the numerals 

 corresponding with those of Malayo- Polynesian languages. Different 

 'orms of numerals were used in counting living and dead objects, and 

 n expressing measurements." 



They were a happy, careless people, fond of festivities, dancing, 

 singing, story telling, and contests of strength and skill, yet sufii- 

 ;iently industrious to cultivate their fields and garden patches, build 

 ixcellent houses for their families, braid mats of fine texture, and con- 

 iti'uct canoes which were the admiration of all the early navigators. 

 They were much given to buffoonery, mockery, playing tricks, jest- 

 ng, mimicry, and ridicule, offering in this respect a striking contrast 

 ;o the undemonstrative Malayans. Legazpi, who visited the island 

 n 1565, speaks of the loud laughter of those who surrounded his ship.;, 

 ^n selling rice to passing ships they would often increase the weight 

 md bulk of the packages by stones and leaves. " For each nail,'' says 

 Legazpi, "they gave measures of rice containing half a fanega,'' more 

 )r less." When straw and stones at the bottom of the packages were 

 liscovered by the Spaniards, the natives seemed to regard the decep- 

 ion as a huge joke; they " clapped their hands in glee and laughed 

 ong and loud, going from that vessel to another and playing the same 

 ;rick. Then again they would take nails and fly without giving any- 

 ;hing in return." On the other hand, the Spaniards gave them in 

 ixchange for rice and fruits — the most valuable possessions of the 



a See Anson, Voyage Round the World, p. 340, 1748. 

 6 Garcia, Vida y Martyrio de Sanvitores, p. 198, 1683. 



cFor numeral system and calendar of the aborigines, see Safford, W. E., Tho 

 ^hamorro language of Guam, Amer. Anthrop., n. s., vol. 6, pp. 95-104, 1904. 

 <* A fanega is about 1.6 bushelp. 



