We have now a skin held together entirely by the hardwood
pins connecting the edges of the planks, very strong
and elastic, hut having nothing hut the adhesion of these
pms to prevent the planks gaping. In the smaller boats
seats, in the larger ones cross-beams, are now fixed. They
are sprung into slight notches cut to receive them, and are
further secured to the projecting pieces of the plank below
by a strong lashing of rattan. Eibs are now formed of
single pieces of tough wood chosen and trimmed so as
exactly to fit on to the projections from each plank, being
slightly notched to receive them, and securely bound to
them by rattans passed through a hole in each projecting
piece close to the surface of the plank. The ends are
closed against the vertical prow and stern posts, and
further secured with pegs and rattans, and then the boat
is complete; and when fitted with rudders, masts, and
thatched covering, is ready to do battle with the waves.
A careful consideration of the principle of this mode of
construction, and allowing for the strength and binding 0 &
qualities of rattan (which resembles in these respects wire
rather than cordage), makes me believe that a vessel carefully
built in this- manner is; actually stronger and safer
than one fastened in the ordinary way with nails.
During our stay here we were all very busy! Our
captain was daily superintending the completion of his
two small praus. All day long native boats were, coining
with fish, cocoa-nuts, parrots and lories, earthen pans,
sirip leaf, Wooden bowls, and trays, &c. &c., which every
one of the fifty inhabitants of our prau seemed to be
buying on his own account, till all available and most
unavailable sphee of our vessel was occupied with these
miscellaneous articles : for every man on board a prau
considers himself at liberty to trade, and to carry with
him whatever he can afford to buy.
Money is unknown and valueless here—knives, cloth,
and arrack forming the only medium of exchange, with
tobacco for small coin. Every transaction is the subject of
a special bargain, and the cause of much talking. It is
absolutely necessary to offer very little, as the natives are
never satisfied till you add a little more. They are then
far better pleased than if you had given them twice the
amount at first and refused to increase it.
: I, too, was doing a little business, having persuaded
some of the natives to collect insects for me; and when
they really found that I gave them most fragrant tobacco
for worthless black and green beetles, I soon had scores of
visitors, men, women, and children, bringing bamboos full
of creeping things, which, alas! too frequently had eaten
each other into fragments * during the tedium of a day’s
confinement. Of one grand new beetle, glittering with
ruby and emerald tints, I got a large quantity, having first
detected one of its wing-cases ornamenting the outside of