LEPROSY — CANOES. 457 



bleaches the naturally black hair to a flaxen colour; 

 as soon as this is effected, the hair is allowed to 

 grow to a considerable length, and in due time pre- 

 sents a piebald appearance, the ends retaining the 

 flaxen colour while the roots are black. When 

 grown to a sutflcient length it is wound gracefully 

 round the head and fastened by a comb of sandal- 

 wood or tortoise-shell ; some specimens of which 

 were very large, and of such superior manufacture as 

 to indicate an intercourse with much more civilized 

 nations. 



The natives appeared to be healthy, with the ex- 

 ception of a sort of leprosy, from which many of 

 them were sufferino-. It crave them a most disgust- 

 ing appearance, but did not appear to cause any 

 inconvenience, nor were they avoided by the rest of 

 their companions, as if the disease had been con- 

 tagious. On our first landing, very few of the 

 natives had any arrns, but they afterwards brought 

 down some bows and arrows, some of which were 

 four or five feet long, neatly headed with iron. We 

 also saw a few iron-headed spears, a few creesses, 

 and some hatchets of a very rude construction. 



Their canoes, about thirty of which were hauled 

 upon the beach, were from twenty-five to thirty feet 

 long, and very narrow, with outriggers projecting 

 ten or twelve feet from each side, and supporting 

 a piece of buoyant wood to give stability. They 

 carried one large mat-sail, but did not appear to 

 sail fast. 



