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full buttock; and being Closed in on the Uper part, forms a spire or Cone regularly taperd to a point, and becoming nearly round as it rises. On the Bow and top of the Stern are rude figures of Man for ornament the height of the bow, being somthing more then the level of the top of the Gunwhale, which is without sheer, and the height of the Stern nearly 24 feet, the Image being 18 inches or 2 feet higher. When the Canoes are ready for putting together (for they cannot be used singly by reason of the narrowness of their Construction) they are placed alongside at a regular distance fore & aft which is commonly about 6 feet asunder, and are secured by eight or ten square beams of 5 or 6 inches square which are fixed on the upper part of the Wale of each at equal distance and firmly lashd and are partly let in to the Wale and part into the topside — and the whole being made secure by lashings the frame of the stage is laid with other strong Beams on the top of the Gunnel projecting without the wales on either side, being about 20 feet wide, and secured firmly to the lower Beams by lashings. The stage is then laid with plank, like a Deck, with scuttles or openings on each side, & in the Middle, for the paddlers, who are often 100 and upwards. On the fore part of the stage is raised a Breast work of Plank about 4 feet high, over which the Warriors fight; and when they are equipt for War, the decks are filld with heaps & baskets of stones, and evry paddler has a sling. They are often Managed by Sails, the Masts being placed on Steps on the top of the Stage, and Supported by the rigging and when under Sail take Four Men with long paddles to steer them and Sail at a good rate in smooth water, but in rough Weather they Make less way and more water, the motion making them soon leaky — when at Sea they often keep 6 hands bailing with scoops they having no other method to free them of the Water with which they are often filld by the Surge rolling up between them, but they are nevertheless in no danger of sinking but drive till they are freed — and in port they are always forced to Haul them up to prevent their sinking — When they Sail in Fleets the Chiefs Canoe has always an alter on Board.
In these Vessels they Frequently go from Island to Island in large partys, somtimes 10 or 12 Sail, and by Means of them the Iron work left at Taheite is distributed among all the Islands they are acquainted with; in return for which [they] get Pearls, Pearl shells &c. — Some of the Islands they sail to are at the Distance of more then 100 Leagues.
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Indigenous Histories |  |
© Derived from the 1935 Print Edition edited by Owen Rutter, page 200, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/-morrison-073.html