HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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** The canoes, or boats, which are used by the inhabitants of this and theneighbouring islands, may be divided into two general classes, one of whichthey call ivahahs, and the other pahies.

“ The ivahah is used for short excursions to sea ; it is wall-sided and flat-bot-tomed : the pahie is intended for longer voyages; it is bow-sidedand sharp-bottomed.The ivahahs are all of the same figure, but of different sizes, and used for differentpurposes ; their length is from ten to seventy-two feet, but the breadth is by nomeans in proportion; for those of ten feet are about a foot wide, and those ofmore than seventy are scarcely two. They have the fighting ivahah, the fishingivahah, and the travelling ivahah, for some of these go from one island to another.The fishing ivahah is by far the longest, and the head and stern are consider-ably raised above the body, in a semicircular form, particularly the stern, which issometimes seventeen or eighteen feet high, though the boat itself is scarcely three.These never go to sea singly, but are fastened together side by side at thedistance of about three feet, by strong poles of wood, which are laid acrossthem, and lashed to the gunwales. Upon these, in the fore part, a stage orplatform is raised about ten or twelve feet high, and somewhat wider than theboats, which is supported by pillars about six feet long : upon this stage standthe fighting men, whose missile weapons are slings and spears, for, amongother singularities in the manners of these people, their bows and arrows areused only for diversion, as we throw quoits : below these stages sit the rowers,who receive from them those that are wounded, and furnish fresh men toascend in their room. Some of these have a platform of bamboos, or otherlight wood, through their whole length, and considerably broader, by means ofwhich they will carry a great number of men ; but we saw only one filled inthis manner.

“ The fishing ivahahs vary in length from about forty feet to the smallest size,which is about ten ; all that are of the length of twenty-five feet and upwards,of whatever sort, occasionally carry sail. The travelling ivahah is alwaysdouble, and furnished with a small neat house, about five or six feet broad, andsix or seven feet long, which is fastened upon the fore part, for the convenienceof the principal people, who sit in them by day, and sleep in them at night.The fishing ivahahs are sometimes joined together, and have a house on board,but this is not common.

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