TK PITO TE HENJJA, OK EASTER ISLAND. 463 



met with. The natives arc not of large stature; a few of the men are 

 tall, but they arc of spare build, stand erect with straight carriage, and 

 appear taller than they really arc. 



Great care was taken to measure accurately the human remains found 

 in the oldest tombs excavated on the island. These proved the ancient 

 islanders to have been of medium size, and the largest skeleton found 

 measured a little short of G feet. The men arc strong-, active, and capa- 

 ble of standing great fatigue — a fact demonstrated to our satisfaction 

 during the exploration of the island. The women are shorter and of 

 smaller bone than the men, as is usually the case throughout Polynesia. 



Mendana states that the islanders are nearly white and have red 

 hair. They resemble the Marquesans more than any other Polynesians, 

 and considerable variety prevails in their complexions. The children 

 are not much darker than Europeans, but the skin assumes a brown 

 hue as they grow up and are exposed to the sun and trade-winds. The 

 parts of the body that are covered retain the light color, and the females, 

 who are usually protected from the sun, are much fairer than the men. 

 Bronze complexions are believed to indicate strength, and a dark skin 

 is considered a mark of beauty. The eyes are dark brown, bright, and 

 full, with black brows and lashes not very heavy. The countenance is 

 usually open, modest, and pleasing. The facial angle is slightly reced- 

 ing, the nose aquiline and well proportioned; the prominent chin with 

 thin lips gives somewhat the appearance of resolution to the countenance. 



The native character and disposition has naturally improved as com- 

 pared with the accounts given by the early navigators. They were 

 then savages wearing no clothes, but with bodies painted inbrightcol- 

 ors. The women are said to have been the most bold and licentious in 

 Polynesia, if the reports are correctly stated, but we found them mod- 

 est and retiring and of higher moral character than any of the islanders. 

 The repulsive habit of piercing the lobe of the ear and distending the 

 hole until it could contain bone or wooden ornaments of great size is no 

 longer practiced, but there are still on the island persons with ear-1 jbes 

 so long that they hang pendent upon the shoulders, in disposition the 

 natives are cheerful and contented. Our guides were continually jok- 

 ing with each other, and we saw no quarreling or fighting. They are 

 said to be brave and fearless of danger, but revengeful and savage 

 when aroused. They are fond of dress and ornaments. Very little tappa 

 cloth is now worn, the people being pretty well equipped with more 

 comfortable garments, obtained from the vessels that have called at the 

 island. (Plate XV). Straw hats are neatly braided by the women and 

 worn by both sexes. The women wear the hair in long plaits down the 

 back, the men cut the hair short and never discolor it with lime as is the 

 custom in many of the islands of Polynesia, The hair is coarse, black, 

 and straight, sometimes wavy, but never in the kinky stage. The beard 

 is thin and sparse. Gray hair is common among those beyond middle 

 life and baldness is very rare, 



