1771* ROUND THE WORLD. 73 



Sandwich Island, which is much the nearer. I took 

 no small pains to know how far their geographical 

 knowledge extended ; and did not find that it ex- 

 ceeded the limits of their horizon. 



These people are of the middle size, rather slender 

 than otherwise ; many are little, but few tall or stout ; 

 the most of them have good features, and agreeable" 

 countenances; are, like all the tropical race, active 

 and nimble ; and seem to excel in the use of arms, 

 but not to be fond of labour. They never would put 

 a hand to assist in any work we were carrying on, 

 which the people of the other islands used to delight 

 in. But what I judge most from, is their making 

 the females do the most laborious work, as if they 

 were pack-horses. I have seen a woman carrying a 

 large bundle on her back, or a child on her back and 

 a bundle under her arm, and a fellow strutting before 

 her with nothing but a club or spear, or some such 

 thing. We have frequently observed little troops of 

 women pass, to and fro, along the beach, laden with 

 fruit and roots, escorted by a party of men under 

 arms ; though, now and then, we have seen a man 

 carry a burden at the same time, but not often. I 

 know not on what account this was done, nor that an 

 armed troop was necessary. At first, we thought 

 they were moving out of the neighbourhood with their 

 effects ; but we afterwards saw them both carry out 

 and bring in every day. 



I cannot say the women are beauties; but I think 

 them handsome enough for the men, and too hand- 

 some for the use that is made of them. Both sexes 

 are of a very dark colour, but not black ; nor have 

 they the least characteristic of the negro about them. 

 They make themselves blacker than they really are, 

 by painting their faces with a pigment of the colour 

 of black lead. They also use another sort which is 

 red, and a third sort brown, or a colour between red 

 and black. All these, but especially the first, they 

 lay on, with a liberal hand, not only on the face, but 



