File:Samoa 'uma, where life is different (1902) (14803194363).jpg

Identifier: samoaumawherelif00chur (find matches)
Title: Samoa 'uma, where life is different
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Churchill, Llewella Pierce, Mrs. (from old catalog)
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, Forest and Stream publishing company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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irement has had much to do with mold-ing the stern of the Samoan canoe and fitting it to theconditions of its use. Although the hull is alwaysassociated with an outrigger, there is no flattening ofthe lines on the outrigger side, in every Samoancanoe or catamaran the hulls are symmetrical withreference to their lengthwise axis. The outrigger of the Samoan canoe consists ofthree distinct parts, therein differing from that ofHawaii and other archipelagoes which have but two.Two outboard braces are lashed over the gunwales ofthe hull, straight pieces of wood instead of the curvedbeams elsewhere employed. The beam of the out-rigger in the water is a log sharpened to a point atone end, the bow. This is adjusted to be on thelevel of the keel of the boat, its bow is opposite thebow of the hull, its after end stops just behind the rearbrace, which is at the point where the sharp taperingof the stern begins. Between the braces and the out-rigger trunk are inserted small rods, which take the 92
Text Appearing After Image:
FISHERS AND SAILORS. strain of the lashing of plaited cocoanut fibre, whichhold the larger parts together. This outrigger isalways on the left hand side of the canoe, and thespace between is commonly four feet. The braceswhere they cross the hull serve as thwarts for thepaddlers, who sit facing forward, and paddle first onone side and then the other. The outrigger alwayscauses a drag to one side, which must be corrected.This is partly accompHshed by varying the angle ofthe paddle blade with the hull of the vessel when pad-dling on the right hand side, and when it becomes toogreat to be thus remedied, the paddle is changed fora few strokes to the outrigger side. When two pad-dlers are engaged together, the one in the rear ischarged with the duty of steering; when there is buta solitary paddler, he sits on the rear thwart. Thesecanoes are very crank despite the outrigger; they holdup well enough so long as the inclination is towardthe right, but it does not take much to capsize themwhen

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