of the Tonga islanders. ' Their eanóes also are like those of
the Torigans.”
* Thé same: writerbSSobèërvëdthat in manyof their characteristic
Habits the Fiji people bèlbhg rather to the Poly-
ftesiah than to the other division: of oceanic nations. |j$(| La
circoncision sé pratique ^êhérâlement parmi lés peuples de
Viti: le kava^ eSp tfeitë chez lehx, ‘ et*%l betel né l’est point,
bien que la noix d’arek seirouve sur%$r sol. Oes’Ues sont
donc la Uinite cèmmimk de la race, çù,ivrêe où Polÿnesèentîe^et
de là rack noire Océanienne ou Mélanésienne^' ’
We have derived much be#’ and valuable information
conëërnMg ihe Vitian islands and their inhabitants from the
narrati ve of the Exploring Voyage of the United' 'States;
The writer of this work compares the Tongam and the
Vitian races. HéSays1;- “ I have ; éëaVcelÿ seen a finer-
looking set of men than those veho composed ' the*jsuitè
of Tanoa, a Vitian chief. There.was a great contrast between
the races óf Tonga and Viti, the formbr being of the hiie of
Mulattos, while the latter are quite black : theirwvhote make
seemed to point out a different origin; The Tongatts have
small joints and well-developed and rounded miisclesp white
the limbs of the Vitians are large and muscular : the latter
are slender in body, and apparently inured to hard fare and
living. The difference in manner is- equally great : in the
Tongans there wasa native’grace, combined with fair forms
and an expression and carriage as if educated»; while there
was an air o f power and independence in the Feejees which
made them claim attention. They- at once strike one as
peculiar and unlike the Polynesian "natives, having a great
deal of activity both Of mind and body ; this may be owing
in a great measure to constant wars, and the necessity of
being continually on the alert to prevent surprise. It was
pleasant to look upon the Tongan, but I felt more interest in
the Feejees ; the contrast was somewhat like that between a
well-bred-gentleman and a boor.”
The same writer observes that although the natives of
Feejee “ have made considerable progress in several of the
useful arts, they are, in many respects, the-most barbarous
and savage race now existing upon the globe. ■ The intercourse,
theyrhave had with the white men has produced some
effect on their political condition,, but does^not appear to
have** had the - lpp-st; influence , in mitigating, the. barbarous
«ferocity of .theiri character; In ,fhisfjgr oupe,»;therefore, may
Jpe^see»!. the, savage^in his^sfatpcf nature j,i and a pomparison
of his |character .with that -pf,t(h.e .n a^ e s, of the, grpupes in
which th e . .Qospel has. Jbegrp,profitably preached^ will enable
our readers toj.form a betteny^gtiuiale, ofi.thp.yaluebf missionary
labours tha^i^can well be .acquired, in any other manner.”
! “ The Feejeeans .are generally’ above thp middle height,
an#!pxhibit. a great variety o^.figure^j^Amqng^them the chiefs
are tall, wefl-raadp, and ipu^cular;< yrhjfe the * loyv^r orders
manifest the meagrenesS: arising, from la[boripus^e|^e;| and
scanty, nourishment. Their complexion,;lips^in g p ^ ra l be*
tween that of the black and« cppper^cplourgd raccs^althoiigh
instances of both extremes are to pe iuet,with, thus^inpicating
a t .from two different stocks. One these, the
copper-coloured, is np^doubt the sa.£ie; qs, that whence the
Tongese are derived.*
, $Pnei*o£ them equal the natives, of, Topga.jn beauty of
person-..^. The faqes.Mof the greater number are long,, with a
large mouth,pgopd-- and \yelk|setj ,:te,gtli,> ;ancL a jj well-foriped
nose» Instances', ..however, are, by po paeans rare, p f, narrow
and high- foreheads, fiat npses,, and thick lips, with a broad
short chin; still they: have nothing; about them of a .l^pgro
type. Even the frizzled appearance the. hair, which is
almost universal, and which atj first sight, seems a distinct
natural charactefiisji% Iwa f, after a-lpsUg ,apquamtqnce.,with
their habits, inclined tp ascribe to artificial causes. . [Besides
the long bushy beards and mustaches, .which. are always
worn by the chiefs, they , have a great .quantijty .of hair on
their body. This, with the peculiar proportion between their
thighs and the calves of their .legs,, brings them nearer to the
whites than any of the Polynesian races visited by us.
* * The authttr* says that K th§3‘question of the, origin of the Feejeeans will
be found ably illustrated in; the Report of bar.pbiloiogist, Mr»jHale.”V This
Report has not yet' reached England -r at least I have not. been able to heat
anything of it on. inquiry from the .English publishers of the Voyage.