Joseph Banks - Endeavour Journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0454
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[Page 454]
Manners & Customs of the S. Sea Islands
the Islands where these are cheifly usd have Ivahas. The fighting Pahies which are the largest are fitted in the same manner as the fighting Ivahas only as they carry far greater burthens the stages are proportionaly larger. The Sailing ones are most generaly fastned two & two together for this purpose the middling sizd ones are said to be the best & least liable to accidents in stormy weather in these if we may credit the reports of the inhabitants they make very long voyages often remaining out from home several months visiting in that time several many different Islands of which they repeated to us the names of near a hundred They cannot however remain at sea above a fortnight or 20 days tho they live as sparingly as possible for want of proper provisions & places to put them in safe as well as water of which however they carry a tolerable stock in hollow Bamboes
All these imbarkations which indeed are all that I saw us'd in any of the Islands are so disproportionaly narrow in respect to their lengh Which causes them to be so very Easily overset that not even the Indians dare venture in them till they are fitted with a contrivance to prevent this inconvenience