THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 153 



other cafes whieh fell under my own obfervation, they are ^'777- 



' December. 



far from being fo dexterous, 1 have feen the flump of an 

 arm, which was taken off, after being fliattered by a fall 

 from a tree, that bore no marks of Ikilful operation, though 

 fome allowance be made for their defective inftruments. 

 And I met with a man going about with a diflocated 

 fhoulder, fome months after the accident, from their being 

 ignorant of a method to reduce it ; though this be con- 

 fidered as one of the fimpleft operations of our furgery. 

 They know that fractures or luxations of the fpine are 

 mortal, but not fradures of the IkuU ; and they likewife 

 know, from experience, in what parts of the body wounds 

 prove fatal. They have fometimes pointed out thofe in- 

 flidled by fpears, which, if made in the diredlion they men- 

 tioned, would certainly have been pronounced deadly by 

 us ; and yet thefe people have recovered. 



Their phyfical knowledge feems more confined ; and 

 that, probably, bccaufe their difeafes are fewer than their 

 accidents. The priefts, however, adminiiler the juices of 

 herbs in fome cafes ; and women who are troubled with 

 after-pains, or other diforders after child-bearing, ufe a re- 

 medy which one would think needlefs in a hot country. 

 They firft heat ftones, as when they bake their food ; then 

 they lay a thick cloth over them, upon which is put a 

 quantity of a fmall plant of tlie multard kind; and thefe 

 are coveied with another cloth. Upon tliis they feat them- 

 felves, and fweat plentifully, to obtain a cure. The men 

 have praftifed the fame method for the venereal lues, but 

 find it ineffeftual. They have no emetic medicines. 



Notwithftanding the extreme fertility of the illand, a fa- 

 mine frequently happens, in which, it is faid, many perifli. 

 \\ hcther this be owing to the failure of fome feafons, to 



Vol. II. X over- 



