94 ETHNOGRAPHY. 



middle size, well made and slender. Their colour is a copper-brown, 

 a shade darker than that of the Tahitians. The hair is black, glossy, 

 and fine, with a slight tendency to curl. The features are small, but 

 high and well-marked : the eye large, bright, and black, the nose 

 straight or slightly aquiline, but always widened at the lower part, 

 the mouth rather large, with full lips and small teeth. The cheek- 

 bones project forward so much as to give the eyes the appearance of 

 being a little sunken. They have mustachios and beard very black 

 and fine, like their hair, but rather scanty. The usual height is about 

 five feet eight or nine inches, but we saw many who were considerably 

 below this standard. There are none of those burly persons among 

 them which are so common in the Sandwich and Society Islands, and 

 we did not see one instance of obesity. The women are still smaller, 

 in proportion, than the men, with slight figures, and small delicate 

 features. Several among them would have been esteemed pretty in 

 any country." 



The difference which exists between these natives and those of 

 Makin will be seen by comparing this description with that which 

 follows : " Having understood that they were of the same race with 

 the other islanders, we were quite unprepared for the extraordinary 

 sight that was now presented. Instead of the slender forms, sharp 

 features, and stern countenances of the Drummond islanders, we saw 

 a crowd of stout, hearty figures, and round, jolly faces, which, though 

 different in features, recalled to our minds the bulky chieftains of Ta- 

 hiti. They were also lighter in complexion than the southern tribes, 

 and more tattooed. 



" One of the first who came on board was a perfect mass of fat. 

 Though of good height, he appeared really short, from his immense 

 girth. As he walked, the flesh of his cheeks and breasts shook like a 

 jelly. His limbs were of enormous size, but smooth as those of a child. 

 His face was round, with neatly-cut whiskers and mustachios, and his 

 fine hair in black glossy ringlets fell down on his shoulders. When 

 he smiled, every feature was dilated with joy, and an even row of 

 small white teeth was displayed which a lady might have envied. 

 There were several others on board of little inferior size, and a native 

 in a canoe, who was pointed out to us by the white man as the king 

 of the island, was actually so fat that he would not venture to ascend 

 the ship's side. The greater part of the natives, who did not attain 

 such an immoderate bulk, were distinguished by finely-moulded 

 forms and handsome faces. The outline of their features was regular 



