»774.
J'ULY.
to a fmall and {lender form, by ropes* bracelets, &c. Such
monftrous contrivances to pinch and contract the body, feem
to be dictated by neceffity, and in time may have been
adopted as the marks of beauty. As their agriculture is fo
toilfome, it is plain they have not time to manufaóture a
drefs, for which they have no immediate neceffity. Repofe
and indolence are the favourite principles of fmall uncivilized
focieties, and neceffity alone forces them to become
indiiffrious. We have obferved that the Mallicollefe pafs
away a part of their time with mufic and dancing. Their
inftruments are dotibtlefs very Ample-; wè heard no other
than drums ; and thefe, together with whittles or pipes, are
moft eafily invénted. The coinmon tiotniaciioiis of domettic
life are to quiêt and regular, that human nature feeffls fo
require fottte excentric movement to animate it. At times
to be extravagant in the motions and eo-ercifes Of the body,
to produde a variety Of founds from various fubftances, and
to ftrain thé vocal Organs beyond their ufual fcate, ate
functions perhaps indifpenfibly néceiïary in the revolution
of human life, to aft as fpurs or Jlimii, and to fweeten the
labours Of the day.
Thé .drums of the Mallicollefe not only ferve as a
paftime, but are likewife employed to found an alarm in
cafes of danger. We have great reafon to believe, that
they are frequently involved in quarrels with the iflanders
in the néigliböuTftWo&y and it is not improbable, that living
difperfed
difperfed throughout the ifland in fmall families, they frequently
difagree amongft themfelves. We never faw the Mallicollefe
without their arms, (except thofe who came into the
captain’s cabin); and it feems much more care and ingenuity
has been beftowed on this part of their manufattures than
upon any other. Their bows are ftrong, elaftic, and nicely
poliffied; their arrows well wrought; and thofe which we
fuppofed to be poifoned, were very neatly ornamented. The
cuftom o f poifoning the arrows is a proof of their under-
ilanding ; and the defire of revenge againft unjuft oppreffion,
may have fuggefted it. Their fmall ftature, and {lender
make, feem indeed to require fome artifice to fupply the
place of ftrength ; but it is at this moment doubtful,
whether their arrows are really poifoned. The dog on
which we made the experiment on the day of our arrival,
recovered perfectly without any affiftance, though he was
afflkfted with the moft dreadful illnefs from eating part of
a poifoned filh. Another experiment was tried in the fe-
quel upon a different dog; an incifion was made in his leg
with a lancet, and the gummy fubftance, fuppofed to be the
poifon, was laid into it, and covered with a plafter. The
dog was very lame a few days, from the fwelling and
fettering of the wound; but gradually recovered like thé
firft. The iflanders of Santa Cruz *, who killed a number
* Egmont Ifland, of captain Carteret.— See Hawkefworth, vol. I, p. 576.
Vol. II. H h of
Ju»7l7y4.-