One living representative of the race gave me a detailed description of
this style of canoe, and pointed out with pride the particular tree
whence it was invariably fashioned, by hollowing out a section of the
trunk, leaving the ends solid and shaping them. A different and very
buoyant timber, according to him, was used for the out-rigger. This boy
had travelled. He had seen the canoes further north as well as those of
New Guinea, and it was found on investigation that his description of
the local craft was quite imaginary. Captain Philip P. King, who came
hither from Sydney in 1818, anchoring at Goold Island, thus describes
the canoe of the period--"Their canoes were not more than five feet
long, and generally too small for two people; two small strips of bark
five or six inches square serves the darkie's purpose of paddling and
for baling the water out, which they are constantly obliged to do to
prevent their canoes from sinking." These details are applicable to the
canoes of the present day.
As a matter of fact, out-rigger canoes were not known in this locality,
though but 20 miles to the north hollowed logs with out-riggers of the
stems of banana plants were common.
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