34° L O R D A N S O N ’ S V O Y A G E
imperfectly, and, as I conceive, that, beiides their ctiriofity,
they may furnifh both the Ihipwright and feaman with no contemptible
obfervations ; ; I lhall here infert a very exaCt defcrip-
tion of the building, rigging, and working of theft velfels, which
I am the better enabled to perform, as one of them fell into our
hands on our firit arrival at 'Tinian, and Mr. B rett took it to
pieces, that he might delineate its fabric and dimenfions with
greater accuracy : So that the .following account may be relied
on.
The name o f flying Proa, appropriated to thefe veffels, is owing
to the fwiftnefs with which they fail. O f this the Spaniards affert
fuch ftories, as mu ft appear altogether incredible to one who has
never feen thefe veffels move j nor are they the only people who
recount thefe extraordinary tales o f their celerity. For thofe who
lhall have the curiolity to enquire at Portjmoutb dock, about an experiment
tried there fome years fince, with a very imperfect one
built at that place, will meet with accounts not lefs wonderful than
any the Spaniards have related. However, from fome rude eftima-
tions made by us, of the velocity with which they croffed the horizon
at a diftance, while we lay at Tinian, I cannot help believing,
that with a brille trade-wind they will run near twenty miles an
hour ; Which, though greatly Ihort o f what the Spaniards report
o f them, is yet a prodigious degree of fwiftnefs. But let us give
a diftinCt idea of its figure.
The conftru&ion of this Proa is a direCt contradiction to the
practice o f all the reft o f mankind. For as it is cuftomary to make
the head o f the veflël different from the Item, but the two fides
alike ; the Proa, on the contrary, has her head and ftern exactly
alike, but her two fides very different -, the fide, intended to he
always the lee-fide, being flat ; whilft the windward fide is built
rounding, in the manner of other veffels : And, to prevent her over-
fetting, which from her fmall breadth, and the ftraight run o f her
leeward fide, would, without this precaution, infallibly happen,
there