There are points of resemblance between the vessels of Melanesia and those of Polynesia, and this may have come about by all island forms having been evolved from common prototypes. There are other circumstances and probabilities that may be taken into account, such as contact of island peoples. The ancestors of the Polynesians, when entering the central and eastern Pacific, probably passed through the darker peoples of the west. In later times Polynesians have certainly come into contact with Melanesians, not only along the dividing-line between the two races, but also the former have made many voyages to the westward. Some of these expeditions were forays or raids, some were probably voyages of exploration, while yet others were involuntary drift voyages. It is unquestionably a fact that drift voyages have been a very important factor in the settlement of the far-spread isles of the Pacific, and a considerable amount of evidence under that head has been collected. In the meantime we will scan the forms of vessels used in Melanesia and other Pacific regions.