1787. peals of laughter are no doubt excited by fome witty allufion or
.■ 4tembei. 0^jler-.conta-ined in them.
The warlike implements in ufe among thefe people are fpears,
flings, and bows and arrows.
The (pears are made of a kind of mahogany, about fix feet
long; one end is barbed, the other tapered nearly to a point: they
throw them at each other, and thofe that are expert oft-times
wound their adverfary at a confiderable diftance. The flings too
are ufed with equal dexterity-and effe£t. The bows and arrows
are made of reeds, and fo (lender, that I cannot think they are of
any great ufe, however, as I had no opportunity of feeing their
engagements, I can fay little on that head; what information
I got being collected from the imperfect accounts of the natives.
They have drums which are beat by way of addition to their
heevas; thefe are about twelve or fixteen inches high; feveral
holes are cut in the Tides, and a hog’s (kin is ftrained over one
end, but they produce but a very heavy dull found.
The bodies of both fexes are tatooed; but this cuftom is more
generally practifed by the men, whofe bodies are frequently punctured
in a very curious manner. Whether or no this ferves as
any diftinguifhing mark, or is done merely for ornament, I never
could learn. The method of faluting here is by joining nofes
together, and is looked on as a certain token and affurance of
friendfhip.
Both fexes are exceeding expert in fwimming; and what is very
remarkable, are not the leaft intimidated at the fight of a fhark
2 ■ when
N O R T H -W E S T GO A S T OF A M E R I C A . 279
■ when in the water. I have frequently feen Indians jump out of ^ 78 7^
their canoes and fnatch hogs entrails, which have been thrown j
overboard by our people, at the very moment when a fhark has
been endeavouring to feize them.
That thefe people have fome idea of a Supreme Being, or rather
of a multiplicity of beings, fuperior to themfelves, there is not
the leaft doubt. The bufinefs of their priefts is chiefly to fuper-
intend and regulate the worlhip to their gods ; to direct the ceremonies
at their funerals, and probably to repeat orations or prayers
upon thefe occafions : but the very fhort time any of us were on
fhore, gave us no opportunities of feeing thefe ceremonies performed,
and therefore I fhall not attempt to defcribe them j as
any account I could give would be equally partial and uncertain.
I have before mentioned the circumftance of a human facrifice
being offered; and we are perfectly affured this horrid cuftom ftill
exifts among thefe people, though their difpofitions are kind, ,
friendly, and humane, and they undoubtedly approach many degrees
nearer to civilization than the poor wretches we met with
on the inhofpitable coaft of America. On this head I fhall make
no remarks, but leave thee to draw thy own conclufions ; and fhall
(by way of clofing my account) lay open a ftill larger field for fpe-
culative enquiry.
.Capt. Cook, in his laft voyage to the Pacific Ocean, has fhewn,
from that moft indubitable of all proofs, affinity of language, that
the Sandwich lflanders are defcended from the Malayans, and are
the fame race of people as thofe who inhabit New Zealand, the
New Hebrides, the Marquefas, &c. which extend from 20
deg. North to 47 deg. South Latitude, and from 100 to 176 deg.
Weft Longitude.
How