Soil & Produce
Index
Search
Contact us
Fruits (continued)
Tamannoo or Calophyllum Mophylum is a very large spreading tree, which they use for Building the large Canoes, making Stools for Sitting on, Pillows and Pudding stools, with Dishes, & trays, some of which are Six feet long, intended to Hold a large Hog when Dressd; these are wrought out of the Solid and neatly finishd. The Wood being something like Walnut receives a fine Polish, and the Nut which Grows to the Size of a Walnut and as plenty, makes a very sweet perfume for their Cloaths.Marra is a large tree the wood of which is hard and white, and the Grain close; when it grows old the Collour Grows brown — this is Chiefly Used for Building the War Canoes, making Cloth Beams, Long Steering Paddles and makes Good Ax & Adze handles.
Fwhyfwhye — this Tree is as large as an Oak, and in Grain something like White Oak — it answers for several purposes — as building Canoes, making large Chests &c.
Amai — this is a hard Close Wood of a reddish Collour which they also used in Building their Canoes, making Ax & adze handles &c. — with this tree they Generally plant their Morai’s or places of Worship, & the leaves of this tree are always used in religious rites.
Tuoy — this is another large tree of which the Wood is White & hard, and used for Building both War & Common Canoes Planks for Scraping the Cloth plant on &c.
Poorow or Hibiscus Tiliacous is somewhat like Elm bearing a Yellow flower — the Body of the Tree serves for Building Canoes, making Paddles and we found it to answer very well for Timbers & Knees while building the Schooner. Some of the Young Shoots run Straight for a Good length and of them they Chiefly make the rafters of their Houses, Sprits for their Canoes, Bows &c. — and the Bark being Cleaned makes neat washing Mats, of a fine texture for wet weather — it also makes rope & line and we found it, of much use in making our rigging.
Eyto — this is another large tree the wood of a reddish Brown nearly as hard as Toa & answers several purposes in their Canoes, with the Bark they Dye or tan their Cloth, Nets & lines which tho only done by steeping in Cold water gives it a strong Collour which will not wash out and the Bark of the Toa has the same property.
Torrotaya — this is a hard Tough white Wood and is Used for Out-riggers for their sailing Canoes, and being durable is preferd for the Purpose of railing their Houses.
Hootdoo — this is a large tree which answers the purpose of Building Canoes, but is not durable, it bears a Nut about the Size of a
 |
Indigenous Histories |  |
© Derived from the 1935 Print Edition edited by Owen Rutter, page 147, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/-morrison-013.html