1^8 cook's voyage to 



DEC. 



cate a great openness and generosity of disposition. 

 Omai, indeed, who, as their countryman, should be 

 supposed rather willing to conceal any of their de- 

 fects, has often said, that they are sometimes cruel 

 in punishing their enemies. According to his repre- 

 sentation, they torment them very deliberately ; at 

 one time tearing out small pieces of flesh from dif- 

 ferent parts ; at another, taking out the eyes ; then 

 cutting off the nose ; and, lastly, killing them by 

 opening the belly. But this only happens on parti- 

 cular occasions. If cheerfulness argues a conscious 

 innocence, one would suppose that their life is seldom 

 sullied by crimes. This, however, I rather impute 

 to their feelings, which, though lively, seem in no 

 case permanent ; for I never saw them, in any mis- 

 fortune, labour under the appearance of anxiety 

 after the critical moment was past. Neither does 

 care ever seem to wrinkle their brow. On the con- 

 trary, even the approach of death does not appear 

 to alter their usual vivacity. I have seen them, when 

 brought to the brink of the grave by disease, and 

 when preparing to go to battle ; but, in neither case, 

 ever observed their countenances overclouded with 

 melancholy or serious reflection. 



Such a disposition leads them to direct all their aims 

 only to what can give them pleasure and ease. Their 

 amusements all tend to excite and continue their 

 amorous passions ; and their songs, of which they 

 are immoderately fond, answer the same purpose. 

 But as a constant succession of sensual enjoyments 

 must cloy, we found that they frequently varied them 

 to more refined subjects, and had much pleasure in 

 chanting their triumphs in war, and their occupations 

 in peace ; their travels to other islands, and adven- 

 tures there ; and the peculiar beauties, and superior 

 advantages of their own island over the rest, or of 

 different parts of it over other less favourable districts. 

 This marks that they receive great delight from 

 music ; and though they rather expressed a dislike 



