THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
315 
clofely in fome places, in others they are quite open; and 
there are no regular doors into them ; the only way of en¬ 
trance being either by a hole, where the unequal length 
of the planks has accidentally left an opening; or, in 
fome cafes, the planks are made to pafs a little beyond 
each other, or overlap, about two feet afunder ; and the 
entrance is in this fpace. There are alfo holes, or win¬ 
dows, in the fides of the houfes to look out at; but with¬ 
out any regularity of fhape or difpofition ; and thefe have 
bits of mat hung before them., to prevent the rain get¬ 
ting in. 
On the infide, one may frequently fee from one end to 
the other of thefe ranges of building without interrup¬ 
tion. For though, in general, there be the rudiments, 
or rather veftiges, of reparations on each fide, for the ac¬ 
commodation of different families, they are fuch as do 
not intercept the fight; and often confift of no more than 
pieces of plank, running from the fide toward the middle 
of the houfe; fo that, if they were complete, the whole 
might be compared to a long liable, with a double range 
of ftalls, and a broad paffage in the middle. Clofe to the 
fides, in each of thefe parts, is a little bench of boards, 
raifed five or fix inches higher than the reft of the floor, 
and covered with mats, on which the family fit and fleep. 
Thefe benches are commonly feven or eight feet long, and 
four or five broad. In the middle of the floor, between 
them, is the fire-place, which has neither hearth nor chim¬ 
ney. In one houfe, which was In the end of a middle 
range, almoft quite feparated from the reft by a high clofe 
partition, and the moft regular, as to defign, of any that I 
faw, there were four of thefe benches ; each of which held 
a fingle family, at a corner, but without any feparation by 
S f 2. boards; 
