THEPACIFICOCEAN. i6i 



fe(flion. Nothincr, however, is more common, than to fee „ '777- 



° . December. 



the men beat them without mercy ; and unlefs this treat- 

 ment is the effedl of jealoufv, which both fexes, at leaf!:, 

 pretend to be fometimes infecfted with, it will be difficult to 

 account for it. It will be lefs difficult to admit this as the 

 motive, as I have feen feveral inftances where the women 

 have preferred perlbnal beauty to intereft ; though, I mud 

 own, that, even in thefe cafes, they feem fcarcely fufceptibic 

 of thofe delicate fentiments that are the refult of mutual af- 

 fecSlion ; and, I believe, that there is lefs Platonic love in 

 Otaheite than in any other countiy. 



Cutting or inciding the forc-fkin fliould be mentioned 

 here as a praiflice adopted amongft them, from a notion of 

 cleanlinefs ; and they have a reproachful epithet in their 

 language, for thofe who do not obfervc that cuftom. When 

 there are five or fix lads pretty well grown up in a neigh- 

 bourhood, the father of one of them goes to a Tahouay or 

 man of knowledge, and lets him know. He goes with the 

 lads to the top of the hills, attended by a fervant; and, 

 feating one of them properly, introduces a piece of wood 

 underneath the forelkin, and defues him to look afulc at 

 foracthing he pretends is coming. Having thus engaged the 

 young man's attention to another objc^, he cuts through 

 the Ikin upon the wood, with a (hark's tooth, generally ac 

 one ftroke. He then feparates, or rather turns back ihe. di- 

 vided pans; and, having put on a bandage, proceeds to 

 perform the fame operation on the other lads. At the end 

 of live days they bathe, and the bandages being taken olf, 

 the matter is cleaned away. At the end of five days more, 

 ihey bathe again, and are well; but a ihicknefs of the 

 prepuce, where it was cut, remaining, they go again to the 

 mountains with the Taboua and feivant; and a fire being 



\oi. II. Y prepared, 



