THEPACIFICOCEAN. 147 



the others be^ran to be forgotten. Their women, however, >777- 



" " December. 



ftruck US as fupcrior in every refpe(5t; and as pofTefling all 

 thofe dchcatc characfleriflics, which diftinguifli them from 

 the other fex in many countries. The beard which the 

 men here wear long, and the hair which is not cut fo 

 lliort, as is the fafliion at Tongataboo, made alfo a great 

 difference ; and we could not help thinking, that, on every 

 occafion, they Ihewed a greater degree of timidity and 

 ficklenefs. The mufcular appearance, fo common amongft 

 the Friendly Iflanders, and which feems a confequence of 

 their being accuftomed to much aftion, is loft here, where 

 the fuperior fertility of their country enables the inhabit- 

 ants to lead a more indolent life ; and its place is fupplied 

 by a plumpnefs and fmoothnefs of the fkin ; which, 

 though, perhaps, more confonant with our ideas of beauty, 

 is no real advantage ; as it feems attended with a kind of 

 languor in all their motions, not obfervable in the others. 

 This obfervation is fully verified, in their boxing and wreft- 

 ling, which may be called litde better than the feeble ef- 

 forts of children, if compared to the vigour with which 

 thefe exercifes are performed at the Friendly Iflands. 



Perfonal endowments being in great efteem amongft 

 them, they have recourfe to feveral methods of improving 

 them, according to their notions of beauty. In particular, 

 it is a pradlice, efpecially amongft the Erreoes^ or unmar- 

 ried men of fome confequence, to undergo a kind of phyfical 

 operation to render them fair. This is done by remaining 

 a month or two in the houfe ; during which time they wear 

 a great quantity of clothes, eat nothing but bread-fruit to 

 which they afcribe a remarkable property in whitening 

 them. They alfo fpeak, as if their corpulence and colour, 

 at other times, depended upon their food ; as they are 



U 2 obliged. 



