528 A V O Y A G E T O 



1778- and the torata-, a fort of whimbrel, whicl\ arc known by the 



February. ' 



fame names at Otaheite ; and it is probable, that there are 

 a great many forts, judging by the quantity of fine yellow, 

 green, and very fmall, velvet-like, black feathers ufed 

 upon the cloaks, and other ornaments, worn by the in- 

 habitants. 



Fifli, and other marine produ6lions were, to appearance, 

 not various; as, befides the fmall mackerel, we only faw 

 common mullets ; a fort of a dead white, or chalky colour; 

 a fmall, brownifli rock-fiH-i, fpotted with blue ; a turtle,, 

 which was penned up in a pond ; and three or four forts of 

 fifli falted. The few flicU-fifli, that we faw, were chiefly 

 converted into ornaments, though they neither had beauty 

 nor novelty to recommend them. 



The hogs, dogs, and fowls, which were the only tame or 

 domeflic animals that we found here, were all of the fame 

 kind that we met with at the South Pacific iflands. There 

 were alfo fmall lizards ; and fome rats, refembling thofe 

 feen at every ifland at which we had, as yet, touched. 



The inhabitants are of a middling llature, firmly made, 

 with fome exceptions, neither remarkable for a beautiful 

 Ihape, nor for firiking features, which rather cxprefs an 

 opennefs and good-nature, than a keen, intelligent difpofi- 

 tion. Their vifage, efpecially amongft the women, is fomc- 

 timcs round ; but others have it long ; nor can we fay, that 

 they are diftinguidied, as a nation, by any general caft of 

 countenance. Their colour is nearly of a nut brown ; and 

 it may be difiTicult to make a nearer comparifon, if we take 

 in all the diflTcrcnt hues of that colour ; but fome individuals 

 arc darker. The women have been already mentioned, as 

 being little more delicate than the men, in their formation ; 



and 



