h that our restrained situation gave us so little
opportunity of making observations on the country; for, during the whole
day, we were seldom a hundred yards from the place where we were
introduced to the chiefs on landing, and consequently, were confined to
the surrounding objects. The first thing that presented itself, worthy
of our notice, was the number of people, which must have been at least
two thousand. For those who welcomed us on the shore bore no proportion
to the multitude we found amongst the trees, on proceeding a little way
up."

"We could also observe, that, except a few, those we had hitherto seen
on board were of the lower class; for a great number of those we now met
with had a superior dignity in their air, and were of a much whiter
cast. In general, they had the hair tied on the crown of the head, long,
black, and of a most luxuriant growth. Many of the young men were
perfect models in shape, of a complexion as delicate as that of the
women, and, to appearance, of a disposition as amiable. Others, who were
more advanced in years, were corpulent; and all had a remarkable
smoothness of the skin. Their general dress was a piece of cloth, or
mat, wrapped about the waist, and covering the parts which modesty
conceals. But some had pieces of mats, most curiously varied with black
and white, made into a sort of jacket without sleeves; and others wore
conical caps of cocoa-nut core, neatly interwoven with small beads, made
of a shelly substance. Their ears were pierced; and in them they hung
bits of the membranous part of some plant, or stuck there an odoriferous
flower, which seemed to be a species of _gardenia_. Some, who were of a
superior class, and also the chiefs, had two little balls, with a common
base, made from the bone of some animal, which was hung round the neck,
with a great many folds of small cord. And after the ceremony of
introduction to the chiefs was over, they then appeared without their
red feathers, which are certainly considered here as a particular mark
of distinction, for none but themselves, and the young women who danced,
assumed them."

"Some of the men were punctured all over the sides and back in an
uncommon manner; and some of the women had the same ornament on their
legs. But this method was confined to those who seemed to be of a
superior rank; and the men, in that case, were also generally
distinguished by their size and corpulence, unless very young. The women
of an ad