Page 480
An.1688
Their dressing their Melory. Their Canoas.
when past the Fruit Trees, there were no paths to be seen going into the Woods. The greatest use which they make of their Coco-Trees is to draw Toddy from them, of which they are very fond.
The Melory Trees seem to grow wild: they have great Earthen Pots to boil the Melory Fruit in, which will hold 12 or 14 Gallons. These Pots they fill with the Fruit ; and putting in a little water, they cover the mouth of the Pot with leaves, to keep in the steam, while it boils. When the Fruit is soft they peel off the rind, and scrape the pulp from the strings with a flat stick made like a Knife ; and then make it up in great lumps, as big as a Holland Cheese; and then it will keep 6 or 7 days. It looks yellow, and tastes well, and is their chief- est food : for they have no Yams, Potatoes, Rice, nor Plantains (except a very few ;) yet they have a few small Hogs, and a very few Cocks and Hens like ours. The Men imploy themselves in Fishing ; but I did not see much Fish that they got : every House hath at least 2 or 3 Canoas belonging to it, which they draw up ashore.
The Canoas that they go a fishing in are sharp at both ends : and both the sides and the bottom are very thin and smooth. They are shaped some- What like the Proes at Guam, with one side flattish, and the other with a pretty big belly : and they have small slight Outlagers on one side. Being thus thin and light they are better managed with Oars than with Sails: yet they fail well enough, and are steer'd with a Paddle. There commonly go 20 or 30 Men in one of these Canoas ; and sel- dom fewer than 9 or 10. Their Oars are short ; and they do not paddle, but row with them, as we do. The Benches they sit on when they row are made of split Bambo's, laid across, and fo near together, that they look iike a Deck. The Bam- bos lie moveable : fo that when any go in to row they