heir bodys. I have seen Men,
Women, and Children, but not many, who have had this distemper to that
degree as not to be able to walk. This distemper, I believe, runs in
familys, because I have seen both mother and Child have it.

Both sexes paint their Bodys, Tattow, as it is called in their Language.
This is done by inlaying the Colour of Black under their skins, in such a
manner as to be indelible. Some have ill-design'd figures of men, birds,
or dogs; the women generally have this figure Z simply on every joint of
their fingers and Toes; the men have it likewise, and both have other
differant figures, such as Circles, Crescents, etc., which they have on
their Arms and Legs; in short, they are so various in the application of
these figures that both the quantity and Situation of them seem to depend
intirely upon the humour of each individual, yet all agree in having
their buttocks covered with a Deep black. Over this Most have Arches
drawn one over another as high as their short ribs, which are near a
Quarter of an inch broad. These Arches seem to be their great pride, as
both men and Women show them with great pleasure.

Their method of Tattowing I shall now describe. The colour they use is
lamp black, prepar'd from the Smoak of a Kind of Oily nut, used by them
instead of Candles. The instrument for pricking it under the Skin is made
of very thin flatt pieces of bone or Shell, from a quarter of an inch to
an inch and a half broad, according to the purpose it is to be used for,
and about an inch and a half long. One end is cut into sharp teeth, and
the other fastened to a handle. The teeth are dipped into black Liquor,
and then drove, by quick, sharp blows struck upon the handle with a Stick
for that purpose, into the skin so deep that every stroke is followed
with a small quantity of Blood. The part so marked remains sore for some
days before it heals. As this is a painful operation, especially the
Tattowing their Buttocks, it is perform'd but once in their Life times;
it is never done until they are 12 or 14 years of Age.

[Clothing of Tahitians.]

Their Cloathing is either of Cloth or Matting of several different sorts;
the dress of both Men and Women are much the same, which is a Piece of
Cloth or Matting wrapp'd 2 or 3 times round their waist, and hangs down
below their Knees, both behind and before, like a Pettycoat; another
piece, or sometimes 2 or 3, about 2 yards or 2 1/2 yards long, with a
hole in the Mid