Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/92

 68 FIJI AND THE FIJIAINS. promptly, when a gust of wind strikes the sail, the cama is raised into the air, and the canoe capsizes. These craft are easily overturned by carelessness ; but, when properly managed, will carry sail in a brisk breeze. The weight of the sail with the force of the wind being imposed on one end, strains the canoe. A steer-oar for a large canoe is twenty feet long, with an eight-feet blade sixteen inches wide. Being m.ade of heavy wood, the great diffi- culty of handling it is eased by a rope which is passed through the top of the blade, and the other end of which is made fast to the middle beam of the deck. " Eudder-bands," too, are attached to the handle of the oar, and carried towards the cama ; yet two, and sometimes three, men are needed to keep the canoe on her course. Violent blows on the side are often received from the helm, and I have known them cause a man's death. In a calm, the canoe is propelled by vertical sculling. Four, six, or eight sculls, according to the size of the canoe, are used. The men who work them throw their weight on the upright oar from side to side, moving together, and raising their feet alternately, so as to give, at a distance, the appearance of walking over the water. In smooth weather, canoe-sailing is pleasant enough ; but in a sea and heavy wind, the deck inclines at a most uncomfortable angle to the water. When running with the small end foremost, a beautiful jet of water, ever changing its form, is thrown up in front to the height of a yard ; or, sometimes, the body of the canoe is driven along beneath the surface, and only seen occasionally, — a dark outline i;i a bed of foam. When this is the case, a landsman is safest sitting still, but the native sailors move about with surprising security. Canoe-sailing is not silent work. The sail is hoisted and the canoe put about with merry shouts ; a brisk interchange of jest and raillery is kept up while poling over shoal reefs, and the heavier task of scull- ing is lightened by mutual encouragement to exertion, and loud thanks to the scullers, as each set is relieved at intervals of five or ten minutes. A dead calm is enlivened by playful invitations addressed to the wind most wanted, the slightest breath being greeted with cries of " Wel- come ! welcome on board ! " and when, with full sail, the canoe bounds along, — Their fragile bark so lustily Furrow the green sea-foam." If there should be drums on board, their clatter is added to the general noise. The announcement to the helmsman of each approaching^ wave,
 * The merry seamen laugh to see *