PAUMOTU GROUP. 



327 



tinguish the Christian from the heathen party. The women have 

 theirs cut close, and some are clothed in a pareu, consisting of three 

 or four yards of cotton, others in a loose gown. They were any thing 

 but good-looking ; but the men were tall and well made. The variety 

 of apparel was droll enough. As for the children, I have seldom seen 

 finer ; all were well formed, and as cheerful as they could be. They 

 w r ere for the most part naked. About two hundred inhabitants were 

 counted on the island, most of whom belonged to Tahiti and Anaa, or 

 Chain Island, and were here on a shelling voyage. They had arrived 

 in two double canoes, such as are used in navigating from island to 

 island ; they were now drawn up on the beach. These vessels were 

 apparently well taken care of, and in this situation we had a good 

 opportunity of examining them. The annexed is a faithful represen- 

 tation of a double canoe. 



bOUBLE CANOE OF THE PAUMOTU GROUP. 



They are thirty-five feet long and four and a half feet wide, con- 

 nected together by a strong framework, on which is placed a deck, 

 and a temporary hut is erected on their voyages. Every part is neatly 

 put together, and well secured with twine and sennit made of cocoa- 

 nut fibres ; no iron or metal of any kind is used in their construction ; 

 they have two masts, supported by vines in place of ropes, and are 

 enabled to spread large mat sails ; they steer with a large oar. After 

 examining them, one can easily account for the long voyages which 

 the natives have been sometimes able to accomplish. They find no 

 difficulty in navigating them, and are now learning the use of the 

 compass, but I am informed they still prefer sailing by the stars and 

 sun, and seldom make any material error. Navigating as they do 

 from island to island, they have not unfrequently been overtaken by 

 storms, and some have been lost, while others have taken refuge or 



