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the Most part Covered with Cocoa nut trees which is all they Produce; they are the Property of o Toos Family who keeps the Inhabitants in subjection by keeping them from Planting the Breadfruit or other Trees and suffers nothing to grow there except a few Tarro for His own use under the Charge of one of His favourites — and as these Islands cannot be Approachd by large Canoes He Makes them His Magazine for all His riches; a Number of Canoes are kept there for Fishery and Near 40 Sail of small sailing Canoes which they Haul over the reef are kept constantly plying between them & Taheite; they bring Fish for the Kings houshold, and return loaded with provisions — and besides these the Dolphin Canoes trade there when the Dolphin Fishery is over, Carrying Provisions and Returning With Oil which they Make in large quantitys, a Variety of Fine Fish and a Sauce Made of Ripe Cocoa Nuts Calld Tyeyro, the Nuts being gathered before they are too old and Grated in the same Manner as for Oil, which being Mixed with Shri[m]ps and left a day or two to ripen becomes like Curds and is excellent sause for Fish, Pork or Fowle — this is also made at Taheite and a Basket of it always accompanys a Fish or Hog when dressd for a Feast; the Nuts must not be too old or if will become oily & rank.
Their Travelling Canoes are Different from those of the War Built, having low sides, Broad sterns and a flat Plank projecting over the stem, which is upright; they are about 3 feet Deep, 18 inches wide and 50 or 60 feet long, the bottom flat and rounding, and the sides Flat and rather falling in, the stern rising with a regular rake for 10 or 12 feet, on the top of which are placed pieces of rude Carved Work of a Cilindrical form of two or three feet High; they are hollow and the Open work represents rude figures of Men Supporting each other on their hands forming several Teirs and have some resemblance of an old round tower, the size of these denote the quality of the Owners. These Canoe; are also Double, being secured by two or three strong barrs lashd to the Gunnels of each — and on the Broad planks of the Bow they fix a Movable House or Awning for the Owner and His Family to sit in out of the Weather — Canoes of this size are paddled by 20 or 30 Hands and answer the same purpose as a Gentlemans Coach in England — in them the people of Note travel from place to Place — They have these kind of different sizes and the small ones, some of which Carry only one or two Men, may be used Double or single occasionally with or without Masts.
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Indigenous Histories |  |
© Derived from the 1935 Print Edition edited by Owen Rutter, page 202, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/-morrison-075.html