of captain Carteret’s men, feem, according to his defcription,.
to be very like the Mallicollefe; and are likewife accufed of
having poifoned arrows *, by the Spanifh navigator who
firft difcovered that ifl'and. Their bows and arrows, according
to captain Carteret, are, however, of a remarkable
length f , and the latter pointed with flints. Quiros alfo
mentions poifoned arrows among the natives in the Bay of
St. Phirip at St. J agof; but from both inftanees it appears,
that the fuppofed poifon was not very efficacious. The
wooden ruffle, which fecures the arms of the Mallicollefe
againft the recoil of the bow-ftring, feems to imply a frequent
ufe of their bows. Befides the miffile weapons,
fuch as arrows and fpears, they have alfo fflort clubs, feem-
ingly for clofe engagement, and are thus well prepared for
all occafions. Their behaviour towards us was in general
harmlefs, but cautious. We received no invitations to flay
with them ; for they did not like the proximity o f fuch powerful
people, being probably accuftomed to afts of violence
and ill' ufage from the reft of their neighbours. In fome
of their countenances we thought we could trace a mif-
chievous, ill-natured difpofition ; hut we might miftake
jealoufy for hatred. It is probable, that being continually-
on their guard, and engaged in wars, they have fome
* See Mendana’s voyage in Mr. Dalrymple’s colleflion, volt I. p. 78..
+ The bows- are fix feet five inches, and the arrows four feet four inches.
J See Mr. Dalrymple’s colledtion,. vol. I. p. 135..
chiefs
chiefs and leaders in battle, who, like the commanders at j*l*.
New Zeeland, are obeyed at the time of aftion. The only
man whom we fuppofed to be a chief, at Mallicollo, did not
appear to be refpe&ed ; and it was only when he procured
us -fome freffl water, that we could attribute to him any authority
at all. Remarks on the government of a people
are feldom to be made at the firft interview, and therefore I
only offer probabilities inftead of fads. Their religion is
entirely unknown to us, as well as the particular cuftoms of
domeftic life ; nor can it be fuppofed, that we could gather
any intelligence concerning their difeafeS. We did not take
notice of any fick perfon among them during our ftay;
however, according to Mr. de Bougainville’s account, the
natives on an adjacent ifland are fubjeft to the leprofy in
fuch a high degree, that he named it the Ifle of Lepers.
The general char after of the Mallicollefe ought to be
confidered with a retrofpeft to their civilization. Difperfed
into fmall tribes; who have frequent caufes of difpute, it is
not furprifing that they are cautious and diftruftful. At the
fame time, however, their behaviour towards us fhewed,
that they had no propenfity to quarrel without a caufe, but
wiffled to give no offence; and were in general much dif-
pleafed with a few individuals among themfelves who attempted
to infringe the peace. Green boughs, their Cgns of
friendfflip, confirmed this good difpofition. The ceremony
of pouring water on their heads, is ftill more important, as it
H h 2 ’ fflews