1777- troubled with what they, probably, thought idle quef-
■ ,y.'. , tions. Our fituation at Tongataboo; where we remained
the longeft, was, likewife, unfavourable. It was in a part
of the country, where there were few inhabitants, except
fiihers. It was always holiday with our viikers, as well as
with thofe we vifited ; fo that we had but few opportunities
of obferving,. what was really the dorneftic way of living
of the natives. Under thefe difadvantages, it is not fur-
prizing, that we fhould not be able to bring away with u<s
iatisfaftory accounts of many things; but fome of us endeavoured
to remedy thofe difadvantages, by diligent obfer-
vation ; and I amindebted to Mr. Anderfbn, for a confiderable
fhare of what follows, in this and in the following chapter.
In other matters, I have only expreffed, nearly in his words»,
remarks that coincided with mine» but what relates to
the religion and language of thefe people, is entirely his
own..
The natives of the Friendly Iflands feldom exceed the
common ftature (though we have meafured fome, who
were above fix feet) ; but are very ftrong, and well made ;
efpecially as to their limbs. They are generally broad,
about the fhoulders; and though the mufcular difpofition
of the men, which feems a eonfequence o f much aft ion,
rather conveys the appearance of ftrength than of beauty,
there are feveral to be feen, who are really handfome.
Their features are very various; infomuch, that it is
fcarcely poffible to fix on any general likenefs, by which to
charaiterize them, unlefs it be a fullnefs at the point of the
nofe, which is very common. But, on the other hand, we
met with hundreds of truly European faces, and many genuine
Roman nofes, amongft them. Their eyes and teeth-
are good; but the laft neither fo remarkably white, nor fi>
wciL
well fet as, is often found amongft Indian nations; though,
to balance that, few of them have any uncommon thick-
nefs about the lips, a defeft as frequent,as, the other perfection.
The women are not fo, much diftinguiihed from the men
by their features as by their general form, which is, for
the moft part, deftitute of that ftrong fleihy firmnefs that
appears in the latter. ^Thpugh the features of fome are fo
delicate, as not only to be a true index, of their fex, but to
lay claim to a confiderable fhare of beauty and expreflion-,
the rule is, by no means, fo general as in many other countries.
But, at the fame time, this,, is frequently the moft
exceptionable part; for the bodies and limbs of moft of the
females are well proportioned; and fome, abfolutely, perfeit
models of a beautiful figure. But the-moft remarkable dif-
tinftion in the women, is the uncommon fmallnefs and
delicacy of their fingers, which may be put in competition
with the fineft in Europe.
•The general colour is a eaft deeper than the copper brown;
but feveral of the men and women have a true olive com*-
plexion ; and fome of the laft are even a great deal fairer ;
which is probably the effect of being lefs expofed to the
fun ; as a tendency to corpulence, in a few of the principal
people, feems to be the eonfequence of a more indolent
life. It is alfo amongft the laft, that a foft clear fkin is moft
frequently obferved. ; Amongft the bulk of the people, the
ikin is, more commonly, of a dull hue, with fome' degree of
roughnefs, efpecially the parts that are not covered ; which,
perhaps, may be occafioned by fome cutaneous difeafe.
We faw a man and boy at Hapa.ee, and a child at Anna-
mooka, perfectly white. Such have been found amongft alii
black.