Page 299
An.1686
Proes, or Indian Boats.
reef to take up the sail to what degree they please, according to the strength of the Wind. Along the belly-side of the Boat, parallel with it at about 6 or 7 foot distance, lies another small Boat, or Ca- noa, being a Log of very light Wood, almost as long as the great Boat, but not so wide, being not above a foot and an half wide at the upper part, and very sharp like a wedge at each end. And there are two Bamboas of about 8 or 10 foot long, and as big as one's Leg, placed over the great Boats side, one near each end of it, and reaching about 6 or 7 foot from the side of the Boat: by the help of which the little Boat is made firm and conti- guous to the other. These are generally called by the Dutch, and by the English from them, Out- lagers. The use of them is to keep the great Boat upright from over-setting; because the Wind here being in a manner constantly East (or if it were at West it would be the same thing) and the Range of these Islands, where their business lies to and fro, being mostly North and South, they turn the flat side of the Boat against the Wind upon which they sail, and the belly-side, consequently, with its little Boat, is upon the Lee: and the Vessel having a Head at each end, so as to sail with either of them foremost (indifferently) they need not tack, or go about, as all our Vessels do, but each end of the Boat serves either for head or stern as they please. When they ply to windward, and are minded to go about, he that steers bears away a little from the Wind, by which means the stern comes to the Wind; which is now become the head, only by shifting the end of the yard. This Boat is steered with a broad Paddle, instead of a Rudder. I have been the more particular in describing these Boats, because I do believe they sail the best of any Boats in the world. I did here for my own satis- faction try the swiftness of one of them: failing by