

A VOYAGE TO 



but pofitively denied that they ever eat ir. This was cer- 

 tainly approaching as near the fact as could be; but, on the 

 other hand, the denial is a ftrong proof that the practice 

 lias actually ceafed ; fince in New Zealand, where it iliil 

 cxifts, the inhabitants never made the fmalleit fcruple of 

 confefling it. 



The inhabitants of thefe iflands differ from thofe of the 

 Friendly Ifles, in fuffering, almoft univerfally, their beards 

 to grow. There were, indeed, a few, amongfl whom was 

 the old king, that cut it off entirely ; and others that wore 

 it only upon the upper lip. The fame variety, in the man- 

 ner of wearing the hair, is alio obfervable here, as among 

 the other inlanders of the South Sea; beficics which, they 

 have a fafhion, as far as we know, peculiar to themfelves. 

 They cut it clofc on each fide the head, down to the ears, 

 leaving a ridge, of about a fmall hand's breadth, running 

 from the forehead to the neck ; which, when the hair is 

 thick and curling, has the form of the creft of the ancient 

 helmet. Others wear large quantities of falfe hair, flowing 

 down their backs in long ringlets, like the figure of the in- 

 habitants of Horn Ifland, as fecn in Dalrymple's Voyages ; 

 and others, again, tie it into a fingle round bunch on the 

 top of the head, almoft as large as the head itfelfj and 

 fome into five or fix diflinct bunches. They daub their 

 hair with a grey clay, mixed with powdered fhells, which 

 they keep in balls, and chew into a kind of foft pafte, when 

 they have occafion to make ufe of it. This keeps the 

 hair fmooth ; and, in time, changes it to a pale yellow 

 colour. 



Both fcxes wear necklaces, made of firings of fmall va- 

 riegated fhells ; and an ornament, in the form of the handle 



of 



