T H E P A C I F I C O C E A N. 383 



the infe(?tion ; and I had the mortification to learn from i777- 



|uly. 



thence, that all the care I took, when I firft vifited thefe 

 illands, to prevent this dreadful difeafe from being commu- 

 nicated to their inhabitants, had proved inefre(5luaL What 

 is extraordinary, they do not feem to regard it much ; and 

 as we faw few ligns of its deftroying effefts, probably the 

 climate, and the way of living of thefe people, greatly abate 

 its virulence. There are two other difeafes frequent amongft 

 them ; one of which is an indolent firm fwelling, which 

 affedls the legs and arms, and increafes them to an extra- 

 ordinary lize in their whole length. The other is a tumour 

 of the fame fort, in the tefticles, which fometimes exceed 

 the fize of the two fifts. But, in other rcfpevSIs, they may 

 be confidered as uncommonly healthy ; not a fingle perfon 

 having been feen, during our {lay, confined to the houfc, 

 by ficknefs of any kind. On the contrary, their flrength 

 and adlivity are, every way, anfwerable to their mvifcular 

 appearance; and they exert both, in their ufual employ- 

 ment, and in their diverfions, in fuch a manner, that there 

 can be no doubt of their being, as yet, little debilitated by 

 the numerous difeafes that are the confequence of indolence,^ 

 and an unnatural method of life. 



The graceful air and firm Itep with which thefe people 

 walk, are not the leafl obvious proof of their perfonal accom- 

 plifbmenrs. They confider this as a thing fo natural, or fo 

 neceflary to be acquired, that nothing ufed to excite their 

 laughter fooner, than to fee us frequently flumbling upon 

 the roots of trees, or other inequalities of the ground. 



Their countenances very remarkably exprefs the abun- 

 dant mildnefs, or good nature, which they poiTefs ; and are 

 entirely free from that favage keennefs which marks na- 

 tions 



