fe^gÖM:ite'!«^,/aBd>itooft-as-'fia»n5>fo forlm:.- They mnjabbut’efttirély
naked, and are remarkably healthy and active.
They are generally acquainted with the artiöf cöiiverfing by figns,
either in pubhe or private, and perfaft mafters of; ‘the language o f
$he eyes*
. Their voice and fpeech are foft and harmonious. Their htialeét ■ is
the Italian qf the.:South, Seas,- abounding with vowels, and exjlUlfeg
.every harfh and guttural found froin their alphabet*' this, tonfifts
only of: feeriteen rlettessi: with whidss theyexprefs thefnfelvis tVrfti
great,tó lk y -an d pefci|Wdt,'TheiF'’pnktQhns are a ■ fkikingy;iirÉanoë
o f this ? thefe ^ e ^ & s e n t aceo rdi^to 4iie :n iira fe b fip^fatts fp0fek
©£j ts f.tw a pbJy-r^aiei tw&Qtitof three incompany---,w/an. Imfefirvitfe
number, have e^ch a different pronoun fpectfically marking? thé -per-
fonSJs aad i t is the fame in'the pthera* bdth perfön^
a dkgriteity perhsqis ntdtnDwn^'Enycrjahar langsÈ*gfj;r;i©^^Tiitjj^^
they can hardly articulate, or pronounce a word into -the- êoirtpofttiéri
©f which thefe letters enter.,
In general, ,tbe «genuityiof all ih e if works, eonfidêSing'Ae"tdoK
they pojTefs, is marvellous. T h a r cloth, chitepfifoing impfomëh&’
canoes, böufcs, all dilp ky great (k illt their mourning dFëflhs, their
war head-drefs and breaft-plates, fhew remarkable tafte s'thmv'adjuil-
ment o f the different parts, the exaaft fymmetey, the niGety d f the
joining, are admkabler and it is aftomlhing how they ■’ dan'whH
finch eafe and quicknefc drill holes in w peari-fhell with
tooth, and fo fine as. not to admit the point o f :ri;cc«hy0fl:pirtJPb
T he men are excellent judges; o f i thé weather from the appearance
©f the ik y arid wind^ and can often foretel • a change fome déj^
before it takes plaqe. , When,, they are going to any dtftaöt ifkndi
and lofe fight o f land, they fleer by fun, moon, and flats, as true
as we dp by compafe. They have names for many o f the fixed
flars, and know their time, o f rifing and fetting with confiderable
precifioa: and, what is more fingular, their names and the account
Ap;f.!EN®«.]l
of! themiEéfembley in many - inftanees', thé'Qfocian fable® t theyh&V©
the twins, o r two «childferi;. their Gafter and Bollux,. Jpe..
■ Thar year.cónfifts -ofithirteen months. They calculate b y the
lunations the mabri,-;and b y ' the fan pafji&g aödiréj^ilög Over
their heads. They,pretend to fotetÉbwhen the* ratios Will fet in, and
whether they will Ids more or lef» violent than- common, attd prepare
accordingly. They know thé -iëafonï; -for particular fiih, and get
ready; when the bread-fruit will ..come; 4® foaibri ■ and whether the
haryeft will beqpletrfifoh-orfoanty,, late,or early. T he day and nigh®
are.^hvided ;into twelve equal parts, and they guef§: pretty exactly
what the hour is by the fun and fla rs .v
• They reckon in numbers from cftié to ten, then .aefe before* #cfy
number fill-they reach, ao, recksotfing onward thu&i att-ahai- tVl&S'riföd
lO s m.attahan. 1 1 , &c. ,j tsö® $&, 5tfahSi,ta!00 zv ; andfö'Cta'ïëftve,
irêenaa; taöo, five twenties, or X’c®. But at ëafeulëtddfï #hëy -éré-rio'
a d e p t s . ,
• They compute distances b y the fitne- is take® to pafs from ope pMce
to, appfhl*» They meafkre their fiflai}ghiines>t^the-fëth^i, OFÏpailj
and found; depths o f water< as’- acctjtatèly as ou?fëh?és; wjj
is T h e ccaaamon dwellings ^re-«abori$;eighteen <feet in the ridge-tree,
.oblong,. and roundedat the-ends. The fuffiiiftite édrififts ê f a%eW wodbeh
trays; and flools for making thsirpuddtegSy pëils té-%rif thfefé baikët®
o f different forts to- florétsheir jltoVi fibril,- £:dai^'<th'£fl?%h whdéW’fhè
ma§ei'*®!d miftrefs of the hou fe Ölften» fleep,« <^h^te^4löca: fpread
with'matting and cloth, and hovered With th^fapia« "r Ttequ’ent ly tnfey
employ »a canoe<=houfe juft fpffident fortheir length, ’ and-tdtA'lhw for
them* to- ftand ere é t; and fometimes a bediteat^f flianV in finé weaÉtËëi?
fleep in the open air. Then pillow is a little wooden flool,
- w rought outAf «me block t and they Wܧ MW^ ^ B | ta fe^ t f ie ’ftoofc
they fit upon in their canoes. T h e i rV u a l fa r is 'the ground, crM--1
legged j hut they have feats-Withyfhich they afe alwai Vrtlctyrro compliment
a flranger. Theurimarried women fleep next their parents, and