re the most perfect of their mechanical
productions, will account for their being very careful of them. For they
are built and preserved under sheds, or they cover the decked part of
them with cocoa leaves, when they are hauled on shore, to prevent their
being hurt by the sun.

The same tools are all they have for other works, if we except different
shells, which they use as knives. But there are few of their productions
that require these, unless it be some of their weapons; the other
articles being chiefly their fishing materials and cordage.

The cordage is made from the fibres of the cocoa-nut husk, which, though
not more than nine or ten inches long, they plait, about the size of a
quill or less, to any length that they please, and roll it up in balls,
from which the larger ropes are made, by twisting several of these
together. The lines that they fish with, are as strong and even as the
best cord we make, resembling it almost in every respect. Their other
fishing implements are large and small hooks. The last are composed
entirely of pearl-shell, but the first are only covered with it on the
back, and the points of both commonly of tortoise-shell; those of the
small being plain, and the others barbed. With the large ones they catch
bonnetos and albicores, by putting them to a bamboo rod, twelve or
fourteen feet long, with a line of the same length, which rests in a
notch of a piece of wood, fixed in the stern of the canoe for that
purpose, and is dragged on the surface of the sea, as she rows along,
without any other bait than a tuft of flaxy stuff near the point. They
have also great numbers of pretty small seines, some of which are of a
very delicate texture. These they use to catch fish with, in the holes
on the reefs, when the tide ebbs.

The other manual employments consist chiefly in making musical reeds,
flutes, warlike weapons, and stools, or rather pillows, to sleep on. The
reed have eight, nine, or ten pieces, placed parallel to each other, but
not in any regular progression, having the longest sometimes in the
middle, and several of the same length; so that I have seen none with
more than six notes, and they seem incapable of playing any music on
them, that is, distinguishable by our ears. The flutes are a joint of
bamboo, close at both ends, with a hole near each, and four others; two
of which, and one of the first only, are used in playing. They apply the
thumb of the left hand to close the left nos