1779. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 125 



with great care, and handed down, from father to son 

 as trophies of inestimable value. 



The custom of tattowing the body, they have in 

 common with the rest of the natives of the South Sea 

 Islands; but it is only at New Zealand and the Sand- 

 wich Islands that they tattoxv the face. There is 

 also this difference between the two last, that, in the 

 former, it is done in elegant spiral volutes, and in the 

 latter, in straight lines, crossing each other at rio-ht 

 angles. The hands and arms of the women are also 

 very neatly marked, and they have a singular custom 

 amongst them, the meaning of which we could never 

 learn, that of tattowing the tip of the tongues of the 

 females. 



From some information we received, relative to the 

 custom of tattoxving, we were inclined to think that it 

 is frequently intended as a sign of mourning on the 

 death of a chief, or any other calamitous event. 

 For we were often told, that such a particular mark 

 was in memory of such a chief; and so of the rest. 

 It may be here, too, observed, that the lowest class 

 are often tatlowed with a mark that distinguishes 

 them as the property of the several chiefs to whom 

 they belong. 



The dress of the men generally consists only of a 

 piece of thick cloth called the maro, about ten or 

 twelve inches broad, which they pass between the 

 legs, and tie round the waist. This is the common 

 dress of all ranks of people. Their mats, some of 

 which are beautifully manufactured, are of various 

 sizes, but mostly about five feet long, and four broad. 

 These they throw over their shoulders, and bring 

 forward before ; but they are seldom used, except in 

 time of war, for which purpose they seem better 

 adapted than for ordinary use, being of a thick and 

 cumbersome texture, and capable of breaking the 

 blow of a stone, or any blunt weapon. Their feet 

 are generally bare, except when they have occasion 

 to travel over the burnt stones, when they secure 



