A V O 382 Y A G E R O U N D T H E . W O R L R
siPTtMBER. and in general well proportioned ; their features mild, their
beards and hair black and ftrongly frizzled, fo as to be al-
moft woolly in fome individuals, and their general colour
fwarthy or a dark chefnut brown, nearly the fame with that
of the people of Tanna.
After dinner we proceeded to a flat point on the fhore,
'where we faw a great croud of the natives affembled. Two
boats filled with people went on this expedition, and among
them were twelve marines, well armed. We landed without
the leaft oppofition among the natives, fome of whom
were armed, but others entirely defencelefs. Our marines
drew up in a line, whi 1 fl we went up and -down before them,
and defired the natives to.' give us fome.room, to which
they readily confented. A handfome young man, who, according
to Mr. Pickerfgill, was the chief Tea-booma, held
a fpeech almoft as foon as we had hepped afliore. Previous
to this, another of the natives pronounced fome words very-
loud upon which a general filence immediately enfued.
The fpeech was very moderate, though ferious, and from
time to time delivered in a loud tone. Sometimes the orator
feemed to propofe feveral quell tons, which were-always
anfwered by fome old men in the croud, and the whole
lafted two or three minutes. A little while after another
chief arrived, who likewife held a fpeech of the fame nature
to us ; after which we mixed freely in the croud, and
had an opportunity of examining their arms and ornaments.
Our
A V O Y A G E ROUND THE WORLD,
©ur principal-enquiry, Which we expreffld by figns, was SEP.
whether they had any frelh water, upon which fome pointed
to the weft, but the gfeateft number to the eaftward.
Their perfons were tall and wholly of that cbara&er which'-
isobferved in thofe who came on board a t, firft. Many of
them, however, had prodigious thick legs and arms, which-
feemed to be affefted by a kind of leprofy. They all went
naked, only tying a firing round the middle, and another
round the neck, A little piece of brown cloth, made of
the bark of a fig-tree, which is fometimes tucked up to the-
belt, and fometimes pendulous, fcarcely deferves the name
of a covering; it feems indeed not to be intended for a,
veil any more than the contrivance of the Mallicollefe, and.
in the eyes of Europeans would rather be reckoned obfcene
than decent. Every inhabitant of this ifland, therefore, like:
the natives of Tanna and Mallicollo, was an ambulant figure-
Gf: the Roman Garden-God. The ideas of modefty are different
in every country, andtohange in different periods of
time. Where all men go naked, for- inftanceon New Holland*;
c u f t o m familiarizes them to each other s eyes, as-
much as if they went wholly muffled up in. garments. The.-
fafhionable dreffes and fuits of armour which were worn it*
the fifteenth and fifteenth century at every European court,,
would at prefent be. looked upon as the moft indecent that:
' * T i e natives of New Holland, of both fexes, go entirely naked, and .haver
not.thcVlcaft.covering.from .motives .of fhame.. SeeHawkefworth, ,vo .
earn