defcended, was modelled by chance or art into that form, and-,
afterwards became inherent and. natural to their offspring, it is.
impoffible to determine. T h e . inhabitants o f Tierra del Fuego,.
are all a chubbed race, probably becaufe they are defcended from as
fet o f people o f large limbs,, living on the continent, but. being!
Hinted by cold, and wants o f all kinds,, are degenerated into a ihort,
and fquat figure, which keeps always the original: model, on
type, in the fize o f the head j a circumftance almoll generally;
obferved in dwarfs,
T h e feet are generally thin, and by no- means- proportioned ta
the reft o f the body, in the New-Zeelanders, and the people o f
Tierra del Fuego-, and they likewife have large-knees. This may
be eafily accounted for from their general practice o f filhing, which
confines them for days together to their canees, without, allowing,
them the ulual exercife j. and from their conftann fitting upon their
hams, which ftretches and expands the knees», and prevents the legs
from being fnrniflied with the fupplies neceflary. for- the increafe of
thofe parts. T h e people in the ifles walk much, but-likewife fit
on their hams, and we find their knees allb, and their whole legs,
enlarged, from the great exertion o f thofe parts, which are not
compreffedand reftrained asours, by lhoes andother articles ofdrefs.
T h e faces are in general ftrongly marked with large features,
and fomewhat broad, but prominent nofes, in all the iflanders of
the
the South Seas • a n d this.feemsto-be, i m m y o p i n i o n , the charafter c a u s e s J l
: / ■ _ - OF V A R I -
e f the nation, or tribe, from, which they, are- defcended.. The ETIES.
more Weftern tropical ifles have, inhabitants- with lefs prominent
nofes, larger, mouths, and hroader lips, which again mull: be
referred to the original, tribe from whence they are derived.
T h e laps o f the ears-are .certainly cut and enlarged by conftantly
keeping a fugar-cane leaf fcrolled up in this hole,, in Eafter-Ifland,
blew-Caledonia,, and partly in Tanna.. T h e inhabitants of Tong a-
Tabu, and the Eriendly-Ifles, enlarge the laps of. the ears; likewife,
butwithout.making an incifion, and have only two perforations
in them, through which they, thrud horizontally a ftnallftick, o f the
thicknefi ofa ftron g goofe-quill- T h e greater, part , o f 'th e fame
nation;wand theftwo firff. joints.; o f one, and. fometimes both the
little fingers, whichdhey. cut off .as marks o f their grief, fordeceafed
parents or relations-
T h e inhabitants o f O-Taheitee and the Sdciety-Ifles, are cir-
eumcifedj; but properly fpeaking, a part of the prepuce is not cut
off, but a round fmooth ftick. being thruft into it, it is flit through
the upper, part, with a bamboo, to which they have given a
ftiar.p edge j. and. then the parts, are kept divided, that they- may
not cover the glans again..
T h e breafts of the women o f O-Taheitee, the Society-Ifles,
Marquefas, and Friendly-Ifles, are not. fo flaccid and pendulous,
as