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of a very fine thread, with the melhes wrought exactly like thofe of Europe . Butnothing can be a more demondrative evidence of their ingenuity than the condruftionand make of their canoes, which, in point of neatnefs and workmanfhip, exceed everything of the kind they faw in this fea. They are built of feveral pieces, fewed togetherwith bandage, in fo neat a manner, that on the outfide it is difficult to fee the joints.All the faltenings are on the infide, and pafs through kants or ridges, which are wroughton the edges and ends of the feveral boards which compofe the veffel, for that purpofe.At each end is a kind of deck one third part of the whole length, and open in themiddle. In fome, the middle of the deck is decorated with a row of white (hells, (luckon little pegs wrought out of the fame piece which compofes it. Thefe fingle canoeshave all out-riggers, and are fometimes navigated with fails, but more generally withpaddles, the blades of which are ffiort, and broaded in the middle. The two veffelswhich compofe the double canoe are each about fixty or feventy feet long, and four orfive broad in the middle ; and each end terminates nearly in a point; fo that the bodyor hull differs a little in conftru&ion from the fingle canoe, but is put together exactlyin the fame manner ; thefe having a rifing in the middle round the open part, in theform of a long trough, which is made of boards clofely fitted together, and well fe-cured to the body of the veffel. Two fuch veffels are fadened together parallel to eachother, about fix feet afunder, by (Irong crofs beams, fecured by bandages, to fupportthe upper part of the rifings above mentioned. Over thefe beams and others, whichare fupported by flantions fixed on the bodies of the canoes, is laid a boarded platform.All the parts which compofe the double canoe, are made as (Irong and light as thenature of the work will admit, and may be immerged in water to the very platform,without being in danger of filling. Nor is it poffible, under any circumftance whatever,for them to fink, fo long as they hold together. Thus they are not only made veffels°f burden, but fit for diftant navigation. They are rigged with one mart, which (lepsupon the platform, and can eafily be raifed or taken down; and are failed with alatteen fail, or triangular one, extended by a long yard, which is a little bent orcrooked.
The fail is made of mats; the rope they made ufe of is laid exactly like thofe ofEurope , and fome of it is four or five-inch. On the platform is built a little (hed orhut, which fcreens the crew from the fun and weather, and ferves for other purpofes.They alfo carry a moveable fire-hearth, which is a fquare but (hallow trough of wood,filled with (tones. The way into the hold of the canoe is from off the platform, downa fort of uncovered hatchway, in which they (land to bail out the water. Thefe veffelsare navigated either end foremoft, and that, in changing tacks, they have only bccafionto (hiff or jib round the fail; but of this Captain Cook fays he was not certain, as hehad not then feen any under fail, or with the mad and fail an end, but what were aconfiderable didance from him.
__ Their working tools are made of done, bones, (hells, &c. as at the other iflands.^hen they viewed the work which is performed with thefe tools, they were druck^tth admiration at the ingenuity and patience of the workman. Their knowledge ofthe utility of iron was no more than fufficient to teach them to prefer nails to beads,and fuch trifles; fome, but a very few, would exchange a pig for a large nail, or ahatchet. Old jackets, (hirts, cloth, and even rags, were in more edeem than the bede< lge-tool they could give them ; confequently they got but few axes but what wereprefents. The nails which were given by the officers and crews of both (hips forc uriofities, &c. with thofe given for refreffiments, amount to no lefs than five hundredv ol xi. 4 g weight,