140 



A VOYAGE TO 



'779- tended for the purpofes of mummery, we could never in- 



March. . 



V— v ' form ourfelves. 



It has already been remarked, in a few inftances., that 

 the natives of the Sandwich Iflands approach nearer to the 

 New Zealanders, in their manners and cuftoms, than to 

 cither of their lefs diftant neighbours of the Society or 

 Friendly Iflands. This is in nothing more obfervable, than 

 in their method of living together in fmall towns or vil- 

 lages, containing from about one hundred to two hundred 

 houfes, built pretty clofe together, without any order, and 

 having a winding path leading through them. They are 

 generally flanked, toward the fea, with loofe detached walls, 

 which probably are meant both for the purpofes of fheltcr 

 and defence. The figure of their houfes has been already 

 defcribed. They are of different fizes, from eighteen feet 

 by twelve, to forty-five by twenty-four. There are fome of 

 a larger kind ; being fifty feet long and thirty broad, and 

 quite open at one end. Thefe, they told us, wero defigncd 

 for travellers or flrangers, who were only making a mor: 

 flay. 



In addition to the furniture of their houfes, which has 

 been accurately defcribed by Captain Cook, I have only to 

 add, that at one end are mats on which they ileep, with 

 wooden pillows, or fleeping flools, exactly like thofe of the 

 Chinefe. Some of the better fort of houfes have a court- 

 yard before them, neatly railed in, with fmaller houfes 

 built round it, for their fervants. In this area they generally 

 eat, and fit during the day-time. In the fides of the hills, 

 and among the ftccp rocks, we alfo obferved feveral holes or 

 caves, which appeared to be inhabited ; but as the entrance 

 was defended with wicker-work, and we alio found, in the 



only 



