BRUMER ISLANDERS. 257 



canoe^ attached by small sticks or peg^s let into the 

 wood to eig"ht or nine supporting' poles the inner 

 ends of which rest in notches in both gunwales, 

 and are secured there. A portion, or the whole of 

 this framework, is carefully covered over with planks 

 or long sticks, and occasionally a small stage is 

 formed on the opposite side, over the centre of the 

 canoe, projecting a Httle outwardly, with room upon 

 it for two people to sit and paddle. The canoes of 

 this description which we saw were not provided 

 with any other sail than a small temporary one, 

 made by interlacing the leaflets of the cocoa-palm, 

 and stuck up on poles when going with the wind 

 free. The paddles used here are similar in shape 

 to those seen in the Louisiade Archipelago, with 

 spear-shaped blades and slender handles, but are 

 larger— measuring six feet in length — and of neater 

 construction, the end of the handle being carved 

 into some fanciful device. 



About sunset, and when about to leave us, one 

 of the Brumer Islanders, standing on a large cata- 

 maran along-side, put himself into a grotesque atti- 

 tude, and commenced beating' with his hand upon a 

 large tin can which some one had given him, at the 

 same time going through some of the motions of a 

 dance. He seemed to be a most amusing vagabond, 

 for, upon our drummer being set to work in the 

 chains, after joining ^vith the other natives in the 

 first exclamations of surprise, he listened attentively 

 for a little, and then struck up on his own extempore 



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