396 
A VOYAGE TO 
that they pleafe, and roll it up in balls; from which the 
larger ropes are made, by twilling feveral of thefe together. 
The lines, that they filh with, are as Itrong and even as the 
bell cord we make, refembling it almoft in every refpe6t. 
Their other hilling implements, are large and fmall hooks. 
The lalt are compofed entirely of peaii-fhell; but the hrft 
are only covered with it on the back; and the points of 
both, commonly, of tortoife-lhell; thofe of the fmall be¬ 
ing plain, and the others barbed. With the large ones, they 
catch bonnetos and albicores, by putting them to a bamboo 
rod, twelve or fourteen feet long, with a line of the fame 
length, which reffes in a notch of a piece of wood, fixed in 
the hern of the canoe for that purpofe, and is dragged bn 
the furface of the fea, as Ihe rowes along, without any 
other bait than a tuft of flaxy fluff near the point. They 
have alfo great numbers of pretty fmall femes, fome of 
which are of a very delicate texture. Thefe they ufe to 
catch fifli with, in the holes on the reefs,, when the tide 
ebbs. 
The other manual employments, confift chiefly in making 
imifical reeds, flutes, warlike weapons, and llools, or rather 
pillows, to fleep on. The reeds have eight, nine, or ten 
pieces placed parallel to each other, but not in any regular 
progreflion ; having the longefl, fometimes, in the middle, 
and feveral of the fame length; fo that I have feen none 
with more than fix notes; and they feem incapable of play¬ 
ing any muflc on them, that is diftinguifhable by our ears *. 
The flutes are a joint of bamboo, clofe at both ends, with a 
hole near each, and four others; two of which, and one of 
the firft only, are ufed in playing. They apply the thumb 
* See a drawing of one of thefe mufical reeds, in Captain Cook’s Voyage, Vol. i» 
£>.221. Plate XXI, 
of 
