Chap.II. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. i^- 



but who appear to be much healthier than any nation of Furope, 

 The nations, I m:an, are the inhabitants of the new difcovered 

 Iflands of Pelew, and the people of New Zealand. Of both thofc 

 people, I have fpoken at fome length in the fourth volume of this 

 work*; where I have obferved the generous way in which the 

 Pelev/ men make war, and their kindnefs and hofpitality to us ; and 

 the noble, and, I m-ay fay, heroic behaviour of the people of New 

 Zealand to us. What I will fay here, only regards their bodies and 

 the ftate of their health. T .e Pelew men live almoft altogether upon 

 vegetables, fuch as yams and cocoa nuts, eating only the fleih of a few 

 birds that they kill: For they have no four-footed beads in their coun- 

 try ; and they wear no clothes, and drink no ftrong liquors. I, 

 therefore, think it is neceflary, that they fhould live a long and 

 healthful life; though we were not long enough among them to ob- 

 ferve how long they lived, or whether they v/ere liable to any dif- 

 eafe, other than fome of the fcrophulous kind. As to the people of 

 New Zealand, they live mtirely upon the roots of ferns and the 

 fifh they can catch ; and ufe no ftrong liquors, any more than the 

 people of Pelew. I do not think, therefore, that Dr Hawkefworth, 

 in the account of Captain Cook's firft voyage to New Zealand, and 

 which was written from the Captain's Journals, has exaggerated much, 

 when he has faid, * That human nature is not there tainted with dii- 

 ' eafet.' But, notwithftanding, the poornefs of their diet, 1 was told 

 by Mr Mattra, w^ho w^as there with Captain Cook, that they had great 

 ftrength of body, one of them being as ftrong as any two ^t our 

 failors. And their leading men were fo dignified in their appear- 

 ance, that they were immediately diftinguilhed by our people, and 

 known to be governing men. 



Who 

 • Page 55. and following. 

 f See book 2. chap. 9. of Cook's firft voyagf . 



