with reference not only to the west, but also to all the southern coast of Australia, Mr. Jukes says that the result of his enquiries, sixteen or eighteen years ago, enabled him to ascertain that the natives of these parts of Australia 'had
visit (1846) such vessels were completely superseded by others, hollowed out of the trunk of a tree, which they procure, ready-made, from the Malays, in exchange for tortoise-shell, and in return for assistance in collecting trepang.
He gives the following description of the canoes seen by him at Coral Haven, in the Louisiade Archipelago:—"The usual length is about twenty-five feet, and one of this size carries from seven to ten people. The body is formed by the hollowed-out trunk of a tree, tapering and rising at each end, short and rounded behind, but in front run out into a long beak. A stout plank on each side raises the canoe a foot, forming a gunwale secured by knees, the seam at the junction being payed over with a black pitch-like substance. This gunwale is open at the stern, the ends not being connected, but the bow is closed by a raised end-board, fancifully carved and painted, in front of which a crest-like wooden ornament fits into a groove running along the beak. This figure-head, called tabúra, is elaborately cut into various devices, painted red and white, and decorated with white egg-shells and feathers of the cassowary and bird of paradise. The bow and stern also are more or less profusely ornamented with these shells, which besides are strung about other parts of the canoe, usually in pairs. An outrigger extends along nearly the whole length of the left or port side of the canoe. In its construction there are employed from six to eight poles, two inches in diameter, which rest against one side of the body of the canoe, and are secured there; then passing out through the opposite side about five feet, inclining slightly upwards at the same time, are connected at the ends by lashing to a long stout pole completing the strong framework required for the support of the boat. This last is a long and narrow log of a soft and very light wood (probably a cotton-tree), rising a little and pointed at each end, so as to offer the least possible resistance to the water. Four sticks passing diagonally downwards from each of the transverse poles are sunk into the boat, and firmly secure it. A strip of the inner portion of the outrigger frame is converted into a flat form by long sticks laid lengthways close to each other;—here the sails, masts, poles, spears, and other articles are laid when not in use. The paddles vary slightly in form, but are usually about four feet in length, with a slender handle and a pointed lance-shaped blade. The number of men able to use the paddles is regulated in each canoe by that of supporting outrigger poles, the end of each of which, in conjunction with one of the knees supporting the gunwale, serves as a seat. One sitter at each end, being clear of the outrigger, is able to use his paddle on either side as requisite in steering, but the others paddle on the right or starboard side only. The man seated at the stern closes with his body the opening between the ends of the raised gunwale, and thus keeps out the spray or wash of the sea. Still they require to bale frequently, using for this purpose the large shell of Melo Ethiopica. . . . . The sails are from twelve to fifteen feet in length and a yard wide—made of coarse matting of the leaf of the cocoa-nut tree stretched between two slender poles. The mast is stepped with an outward inclination into one of three or four holes in a narrow shifting board in the bottom of the canoe, and is secured near the top to a slender stick of similar length made fast to the outside part of the outrigger; a second pole is then erected, stretching diagonally outwards and secured to the outer one near its centre. Against the framework thus formed the sails are stuck up on end, side by side, to the number of three or four, occasionally even five, and kept in their places by long sticks placed transversely, their ends as well as those of the mast being sharpened to serve as skewers which in the first instance secure the sails."—Voyage of the Rattlesnake, vol. I., pp. 202-4.
Another canoe, of a somewhat different construction, but also formed of the hollowed-out trunk of a tree, was seen near Rossel Island.
The natives of Brumer Island use catamarans. One nine feet long, consisted, according to Macgillivray, of three thick planks lashed together, forming a sort of raft, which one man sitting a little behind the middle, with his legs doubled under him, managed very dexterously with his paddle. Others were seen of a larger size, capable of carrying a dozen people with their effects. The canoe of this part of New Guinea is about twenty-five feet in length, is made of the trunk of a tree, and carries seven or eight people. It is carved, as is also the catamaran. Small temporary sails are used for the canoes.
Near Redscar, canoes were observed similar to those in use at Brumer and Dufaure Islands, but there were slight differences noticed in the arrangement of the outriggers and outrigger floats.
