PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 191 



The lines in all cases are drawn with great preci- 

 sion, and almost always with taste, and bespeak 

 great proficiency. The practice undoubtedly im- 

 proves the appearance of the figure, and may per- 

 haps, as in the Marquesas, distinguish certain classes 

 or tribes. At Otaheite it is supposed to harden the 

 skin, and render it less liable to be blistered by the 

 sun. Covering the face with lines is very rare 

 in the South Seas, being almost entirely confined, 

 according to Cook, to the Sandwich Islanders and 

 New Zealanders. In no instance did we observe 

 the lips or tongues tattooed, as is the practice with 

 the Sandwich Islanders on the death of an intimate 

 friend. 



I have estimated the number of souls inhabiting 

 these islands at 1500, from the number and size of 

 the villages. Mr. Collie, who estimates them from 

 other data, says, " On the 1st January, when the 

 boats went to land, 200 people, for the most part in 

 the prime of life, were counted on the beach. On 

 the 9th, in the village, we enumerated 300 persons, 

 men and women. On both these occasions it is 

 highly probable that the men in the vigour of life 

 had come from the adjoining parts of the island, 

 and from the islands contiguous. We may then 

 assume, on the nearest approximation to the truth, 

 that there were between 250 and 300 males be- 

 tween the ages of twenty and fifty — say 275 ; 

 which, according to the most accurate census of po- 

 pulation and bills of mortality in Sweden and Swit- 

 zerland, where the modifying circumstances are in 

 all probability not very different, would give 1285 

 for the total number of inhabitants." 



The diseases and deformities of these people are 



