1779- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 117 



are more frequent here, than in any of the other 

 islands. Whilst we were cruising off Owhyhee, two 

 dwarfs came on board, one an old man, four feet two 

 inches high, but exactly proportioned, and the other 

 a woman, nearly of the same height. We afterward 

 saw three natives, who were hump-backed, and a 

 young man, born without hands or feet. Squinting 

 is also very common amongst them ; and a man, who, 

 they said, had been born blind, was brought to us to 

 be cured. Besides these particular imperfections, 

 they are, in general, very subject to boils and ulcers, 

 which we attributed to the great quantity of salt they 

 eat with their flesh and fish. The Erees are very 

 free from these complaints; but many of them suffer 

 still more dreadful effects from the immoderate use 

 of the ava. Those who were the most affected by it, 

 had their bodies covered with a white scurf, their 

 eyes red and inflamed, their limbs emaciated, the 

 whole frame trembling and paralytic, accompanied 

 with a disability to raise the head. Though this 

 drug does not appear universally to shorten life, as 

 was evident from the cases of Terreeoboo, Kaoo, and 

 some other chiefs, who were very old men ; yet it 

 invariably brings on an early and decrepid old age. 

 It is fortunate, that the use of it is made one of the 

 peculiar privileges of the chiefs. The young son of 

 Terreeoboo, who was about twelve years old, used to 

 boast of his being admitted to drink ava, and showed 

 its, with great triumph, a small spot in his side that 

 was growing scaly. 



There is something very singular in the history of 

 this pernicious drug. When Captain Cook first 

 visited the Society Islands, it was very little known 

 among them. On his second voyage, he found the 

 use of it very prevalent at Ulietea ; but it had still 

 gained very little ground at Otaheite. When we 

 were last there, the dreadful havock it had made was 

 beyond belief, insomuch that the Captain scarce 

 knew many of his old acquaintances. At the Friendly 



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