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[Page 456]

Manners & Customs of the S. Sea Islands

out the water the only thing in which they excell is landing in a surf which for by reason of their great lengh & high sterns they would land dry in a surf when our boats could scarcely land at all & in the same manner put off from the shore as I have often experienc'd

When fitted for sailing they have either one or two Masts fitted to a frame which is above the canoe they are made of a single stick in one that I measurd of 32 feet in lengh the mast was 25 ft high which seems to me to be about the common proportion to this is fastned a sail of about the same one third longer but narrow of a triangular shape pointed at the top & the outside curvd it is borderd all round with a frame of wood & has no contrivance either for reefing or furling so that in case of bad weather it must be intirely cut away but I fancy in these moderate climates they are seldom brought to this necessity the material of which it is made is universaly Matting. With these sails their Canoes go at a very good rate & lay very near the wind probably on account of their sail being borderd with
 

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