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consider the tools with which they are Constructed — Which before they had Iron introduced amongst [them] (and of which they have now but small quantitys) Consisted of No other then Stone Adzes of different sizes, leg or Arm bones of Men for Augur, Chisel & Gouge, Coral and Sand to smooth with and Skins of Fish to polish; and where Fire Could be of any Use in burning off the rough it was also Used but now they that have Axes for the rough work and small hatchets, which they convert into Adzes by lashing them to handles, make quicker work; they have also a number of saws but Can make no Use of them, and Nails of different sorts makes Gimblets, Chissels &c. and are even Converted into small adzes for Carving with, the Adze being their principal tool at all kinds of work.
Some Stone tools nearly of the Same Construction are in use among the Natives of New Holland and it is not Improbable that these were the original and only tools in Use among other Nations before the use of Iron was known.
The length and Size of the War Canoes having been before described I shall proceed to describe their Construction and equipment.
Each Canoe (of which there are always two lashd together) is at her Greatest breadth about 4 feet wide and 6 feet deep and the whole length from 6o to ninety feet. The bottom is sharp and projects in a straight line to the wale where the extream breadth is where the round is sudden turning into the side which rises about 14 or 16 inches of one Plank in an upright Manner, which makes the Midship Frame form the figure of a Spade — the Mark on Cards known by that Name. They are built of several streaks securely lashd together with platted Cocoa nut fibers, the Keel pieces forming the two lower streaks, on which another is raised and on it another which is mostly the Wale, which falling as suden as the quarter of a Circle the Side is raised on its inner edge; each streak consists of Several pieces of 3 or 4 inch Plank well lashd together, and the Keel is generally Composed of two or three lengths; inside they have three or four timbers of the Natural Growth to answer for Floors & timbers, or rather knees which are firmly lashd to each side as high as the wale — the proa or bow projects with a great rake forward, having no Stem, and is Closed in with round pieces on the top and the top side is Closed in with a square piece answering to the side, like the end of a Chest, and in the same manner abaft where the stern rises suddenly from a
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Indigenous Histories |  |
© Derived from the 1935 Print Edition edited by Owen Rutter, page 199, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/-morrison-072.html