jr77- black nations; but, I apprehend, that their colour is ra-
—v——- ther a difeafe, than a natural phenomenon.
There are, neverthelefs, upon the Whole, few natural
defects or deformities to be found amongft them ; though
we faw two or three with their feet bent inward ; and fome
affliited with a fort of blindnefs, occafioned by a difeafe o f
the cornea. Neither are they exempt from fome other difeafes.
Tire moft common of which is the tetter, or ring-,
worm, that feerns to affeit almoft one half of them, and
leaves wbitifh ferpentine marks, every where, behind it.
put this is of lefs confeqiience than another difeafe, which
is very frequent, and appears on every part of the body, in
large broad ulcers with thick white edges, difcharging a
thin, clear matter j foirie of which had a very virulent appearance,
particularly thofe on the face, which were
ihocking to look at. And yet we met with fome who
feemed to be cured of it, and others in a fair Way of being
cured; but this was not affefted without the lofs of the nofe,
or of the beft part of it. As we know for a certainty * (and
the fait is acknowledged by themfelves), that the people of
thefe iflands were fubjeit to this loathfome difeafe before the
Englilh firft vifited them, notwithftanding the fimilarity of
fymptoms, it cannot be the effeit of the venereal contagion ;
unlefs we adopt a fuppofition, which I could wiili had
fufficient foundation in truth, that the venereal diforder was
not introduced here from Europe, by our ihips in 1773. It,
aiTuredfy, was now found to exift amongft them; for we
had not been long there, before fome of our people received
* See Vol. ii. p. 20. of Captain Cook’s Voyage, where he gives a particular account
of meeting with a perfoh arnictea with this difeafe, at Annamooka, on his
landing there in 1773«
the infection; and I had the mortification to learn from 1777-
thence, that all the care I .took, when I [firft vifited thefe * _
iflands, to prevent this dreadful difeafe from being communicated
to their inhabitants, had proved ineffectual. What
is extraordinary, they do not.fepm to,regard it much ; and
as we faw few %ns o f its .deftroying effedts,. probably the
climate, and the way of living of thefe people, greatly abate
its virulence. There are two other .difeafes frequent amongft
them; pne of which is.an indolent firm fwelling, which
affedts the legs and arms, and increafes them to an extraordinary
fize in their whole length. The other is a tumour
of the fame fort, in the tefticles, which fometimes exceed
the fize of the two lifts. Bur, in other refpedls, they may
be eonfidered as uncommonly healthy,- nbt a fingle perfon
having been feen, during our flay, confined to the houfe,
by ficknefs of any kind. On the contrary, their flrengrh
and activity are, every way, anfwerable to their mufcular
appearance; and they exert both, in their ufUal employment,
and in their diverfions, in fuch a manner, that there
can be no doubt of their being, as yet, little debilitated by
the numerous difeafes that are the confequence of indolence,
and an unnatural method of life.
The graceful air and firm ftep with which thefe people
walk, are not the leaft obvious .proof of their perfonal accom-
plifhments. They confider this as a thing fo natural, or (b
neceflary to be acquired, that nothing ufed to excite their
laughter fooner, than to fee us frequently (tumbling upon
the roots of trees, or other inequalities of the ground.
Their countenances very remarkably exprefs the abundant
mildnefs, or good'aarare, which they.poffefs'; and are
entirely free from that favage keennefs which marks ma-
’ ' ' ■ lions