1774. ROUND THE WORLD. 109 



CHAP. IX. 



A DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY AND ITS INHABITANTS; 

 THEIR MANNERS, CUSTOMS, AND ARTS. 



1 shall conclude our transactions at this place 

 with some account of the country and its inhabitants. 

 They are strong, robust, active, well-made people, 

 courteous and friendly, and not in the least addicted 

 to pilfering, which is more than can be said of any 

 other nation in this sea. They are nearly of the 

 same colour as the natives of Tanna, but have better 

 features, more agreeable countenances, and are a 

 much stouter race ; a few being seen who measured 

 six feet four inches. I observed some who had thick 

 lips, flat noses, and full cheeks, and, in some degree, 

 the features and look of a negro. Two things con- 

 tributed to the forming of such an idea ; first, their 

 ruffmop heads ; and secondly, their besmearing their 

 faces with black pigment. Their hair and beards 

 are, in general, black. The former is very much 

 frizzled ; so that, at first sight, it appears like that of 

 a negro. It is, nevertheless, very different ; though 

 both coarser and stronger than ours. Some, who 

 wear it long, tie it up on the crown of the head ; 

 others suffer only a large lock to grow on each side, 

 which they tie up in clubs ; many others, as well as 

 all the women, wear it cropped short. These rough 

 heads, most probably, want frequent scratching, for 

 which purpose they have a most excellent instrument. 

 This is a kind of comb made of sticks of hard wood, 

 from seven to nine inches long, and about the thick- 

 ness of knitting needles. A number of these, sel- 

 dom exceeding twenty, but generally fewer, are 

 fastened together at one end, parallel to, and near 

 l-10th of an inch from each other. The other ends, 



