v a r ie - they might have done, had we made a longer ftay, efpe'cially as their
T I E S OP , . , ,
HSN numbers mcrealed every moment.
'Thirdly. T h e inhabitants o f the F r ie n d l y I sles are little inferior,
i f not equal in beauty to thofe o f the Marquefas. Their
complexion, no doubt, is of a darker hue, than that o f the commonalty
o f the natives in the Society-Ifles; though, in my opinion,
it partakes o f a lively brown, inclining fo far towards the red or
copper colour, as not to deferve the appellation o f fwarthy. However,
many among them, efpecially the better fort o f people, and
the greater part o f their women, approach near to the complexion
o f O-Taheitean fair ones. T h e y are generally o f a middling fta-
ture, or rather above i t ; and their features regular and manly.
T h e men feldom let their beards grow to any length, generally
cutting them with two fharp ihells; their ears are perforated by
two holes, through which they run a fmall Hick horizontally acrofs;
T h e outlines o f their bodies are not fo beautifully feminine,- ,as thofe
o f the chiefs in the Society-Ifles-; but they are compadt, well-proportioned,
and more mufeular and expreflive ; as moderate induftry
has affigned each mufcle its place and fize, without diftorting any
part o f their frame. The flature o f their females nearly approaches
that o f the other lex ; none are fo fat and unwieldy, as many individuals
in the Society-Ifles. Their brown complexion becomes.
1 ' their
their regular features, their roundilh faces, and fine, full, and
lively eyes. Their countenance is overfpread with an inexpreflible
Anile; their lhapes and outlines: are elegant, and all their adtions
accompanied with eafe and freedom. Among others we obferved
in the croud, at Tonga-Tabu, a young girl o f about ten or twelve
years, with the moll: regular features, an oval face, and the fweet-
eft countenance ; her eye was bright, lively, and all foul; her long,,
black hair h u n g . negligently down, and was- ornamented with
bunches' o f odoriferous flowers; her adtions were eafy, briflc, and
free. She had with her five apples, and threw every one o f them
up into the air,. catching them again with amazing adtivity and Ikill.
Th e charadter of thefe people is really amiable ; their friendly behaviour
.to us, who were utter ftrangers to them, would have done
honour to the moft civilized nation. W e were prefented in every
houfe with food, and the refrelhing liquor contained in the coconuts,
with a fpirit o f hofpitality, which is truly patriarchal. A ll
their adtions befpoke a noble mind, and a wonderful, charming
fimplicity o f manners. Th e y have, however, all the little faults
we obferved in the O-Taheiteans, though not in the fame degree.
Their utenfils, weapons, manufadtures, agriculture, and mufic,
befpeak their inventive genius and elegant t-afte.
Fourthly. Next to this nation, we come to a fet o f men, but few
in number; for they do' not exceed 960 in all, and much inferior
H h 2 - in
V A R I E T
I E S OF
MEN.