THE PACIFIC OCEAN, 
3 2 7 
The imitative arts being nearly allied, no wonder that, to 1778. 
their fkill in working figures in their garments, and carv- 
ing them in wood, they fliould add that of drawing them in 
colours. We have fometimes feen the whole procefs of their 
whale-fifhery painted on the caps they wear. This, though 
rudely executed, ferves, at leaft, to fhew, that though there 
be no appearance of the knowledge of letters amongft them, 
they have fome notion of a method of commemorating and 
reprefenting addons, in a lafting way, independently of 
what may be recorded in their fongs and traditions. They 
have alfo other figures painted on fome of their things ; but 
it is doubtful if they ought to be confidered as fymbols, 
that have certain eftablifhed fignifications, or only the 
mere creation of fancy and caprice. 
Their canoes are of a fimple ftrudture; but, to appearance, 
well calculated for every ufeful purpofe. Even the large!!, 
which carry twenty people or more, are formed of one tree. 
Many of them are forty feet long, feven broad, and about 
three deep. From the middle, toward each end, they be¬ 
come gradually narrower, the after-part, or item, ending 
abruptly or perpendicularly, with a fmall knob on the top ; 
but the fore-part is lengthened out, ftretching forward and 
upward, ending in a notched point or prow, confiderably 
higher than the fides of the canoe, which run nearly in a 
ftraight line. For the moft part, they are without any orna¬ 
ment ; but fome have a little carving, and are decorated by 
fetting feals’ teeth on the furface, like finds; as is the prac¬ 
tice on their mafks and weapons. A few have, like wife, a 
kind of additional head or prow, like a large cut-water, 
which is painted with the figure of fome animal. They, 
have no feats, nor any other fupporters, on the infide, than 
feveral round fiicks, little thicker than a cane, placed acrofs, 
at 
