very slow; and for this reason, the canoes are but ill calculated for
fishing, especially for striking of turtle, which, I think, can hardly ever
be done in them. Their fishing implements, such as I have seen, are
turtle-nets, made, I believe, of the filaments of the plantain-tree twisted;
and small hand-nets, with very minute meshes made of fine twine and fish-gigs.
Their general method of fishing, I guess, is to lie on the reefs in shoal
water, and to strike the fish that may come in their way. They may,
however, have other methods, which we had no opportunity to see, as no boat
went out while we were here; all their time and attention being taken up
with us. Their canoes are about thirty feet long, and the deck or platform
about twenty-four in length, and ten in breadth. We had not, at this time,
seen any timber in the country so large as that of which their canoes were
made. It was observed that the holes, made in the several parts, in order
to sew them together, were burnt through, but with what instrument we never
learnt. Most probably it was of stone, which may be the reason why they
were so fond of large spikes, seeing at once they would answer this
purpose. I was convinced they were not wholly designed for edge-tools,
because every one shewed a desire for the iron belaying-pins which were
fixed in the quarter-deck rail, and seemed to value them far more than a
spike-nail, although it might be twice as big. These pins, which are round,
perhaps have the very shape of the tool they wanted to make of the nails. I
did not find that a hatchet was quite so valuable as a large spike. Small
nails were of little or no value; and beads, looking-glasses, etc. they did
not admire.

The women of this country, and likewise those of Tanna, are, so far as I
could judge, far more chaste than those of the more eastern islands. I
never heard that one of our people obtained the least favour from any one
of them. I have been told that the ladies here would frequently divert
themselves by going a little aside with our gentlemen, as if they meant to
be kind to them, and then would run away laughing at them. Whether this was
chastity or coquetry, I shall not pretend to determine; nor is it material,
since the consequences were the same.

CHAPTER X.

_Proceedings on the Coast of New Caledonia, with Geographical and
Nautical Observations._

1774 September

Everything being in readiness to put to sea, at sun-rise, on the 13th of
Sept