1779- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 115 



CHAP. VII. 



GENERAL ACCOUNT OF THE SANDWICH ISLANDS CONTINUED. — ■ 

 OF THE INHABITANTS. — THEIR ORIGIN. PERSONS. PER- 

 NICIOUS EFFECTS OF THE AVA. NUMBERS. DISPOSITION 



AND MANNERS. REASONS FOR SUPPOSING THEM NOT CAN- 

 NIBALS. DRESS AND ORNAMENTS. VILLAGES AND HOUSES. 



FOOD. OCCUPATIONS AND AMUSEMENTS. ADDICTED TO 



GAMING. THEIR EXTRAORDINARY DEXTERITY IN SWIM- 

 MING. ARTS AND MANUFACTURES. CURIOUS SPECIMENS 



OF THEIR SCULPTURE. KIPPAREE, OR METHOD OF PAINT- 

 ING CLOTH. MATS. FISHING-HOOKS. CORDAGE. SALT- 

 PANS. WARLIKE INSTRUMENTS. 



I he inhabitants of the Sandwich Islands are un- 

 doubtedly of the same race with those of New Zealand, 

 the Society and Friendly Islands, Easter Island, and 

 the Marquesas ; a race that possesses, without any 

 intermixture, all the known lands between the lati- 

 tudes of 47° south, and 20° north, and between the 

 longitudes of 184° and 260 east. This fact, which, 

 extraordinary as it is, might be thought sufficiently 

 proved by the striking similarity of their manners and 

 customs, and the general resemblance of their persons, 

 is established, beyond all controversy, by the absolute 

 identity of their language. 



From what continent they originally emigrated, 

 and by what steps they have spread through so vast 

 a space, those who are curious in disquisitions of this 

 nature, may perhaps not find it very difficult to con- 

 jecture. It has been already observed, that they 

 bear strong marks of affinity to some of the Indian 

 tribes, that inhabit the Ladrones and Caroline Islands; 

 and the same affinity may again be traced amongst 

 the Battas and the Malays. When these events hap- 

 pened, is not so easy to ascertain ; it was probably 

 not very lately, as they are extremely populous, and 



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