The men of whatever rank are learnt the art of war and always carry their arms with them wherever they go. They are very ingenious in the construction of their houses and their war-weapons, but in particular in their canoes. Their houses are much like a one-story house in our country (but without windows) in their shape. They are framed of the limbs of trees seized together with a kind of sennet[46] made of the fibres of the cocoanut husk plaited together. On these are fastened small reeds and on them are secured the thatch with which the house is covered. Their double canoes are formed of two single ones secured together by large timbers on which a platform is built and on which the sail is set and the natives stand. Single canoes have an outrigger and a platform built on the single canoe on which the sail is set. They commence building first by hollowing out the trunk of a tree, when planks are hew’d and seized on until it is of sufficient size, secured by timbers very much resembling those in a ship. The sail is made of mats, the rope of a kind of bark, and is so constructed as to be turned either way without the necessity of turning the canoe round when tacking at sea. The canoes are all fitted to sail either end first. They are sometimes very large containing room for 4 or 5 hundred persons[47] and nearly as long as a ship. They sail remarkably fast and the natives are very expert in the management of them and as the natives all go arm’d, from their savage dress they present a very formidable appearance. The natives of these islands believe in a Great Spirit whom they think lives in the sky and who made all things. In every town there are a number of priests whom the natives think are endowed with divine powers by the Great Spirit with whom he sometimes converses and informs them how to direct the people. These priests have great influence with the chiefs in declaring war and managing the affairs of the nation. The principal amusements consisted in a kind of dance, singing songs relating to the war exploits and fishing expeditions, performing warlike manœuvres, and in drinking the ava[48] extracted from the ava-root, of which they are immoderately fond. [Illustration: MODEL OF A FIJIAN DOUBLE CANOE Brought to the United States in 1856 by Capt. Thomas C. Dunn, while on the bark _Dragon_ of Salem. Now in the Peabody Museum of Salem.]