148 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



could give them ; consequently, they got but few axes but 

 what were presents. The only piece of iron they saw 

 among them was a small gimlet, which had been made 

 of a nail. 



Both men and women are of a common size with 

 Europeans, and their colour is that of a lightish copper, and 

 more uniformly so than amongst the inhabitants of Otaheite 

 and the Society Isles. The women were found to be the 

 merriest creatures they ever met with, and kept chattering 

 by their side, without the least invitation, or considering 

 whether they were understood, desiring only that they 

 should be pleased with them. In general, they appeared 

 to be modest, although there was no want of those of a 

 different stamp. 



They have fine eyes, and, in general, good teeth, even 

 to an advanced age. The custom of tattooing, or punctur- 

 ing the skin, prevails. The men are tattooed from the 

 middle of the thigh to above the hips. The women have 

 it only on their arms and fingers, and there but very 

 slightly. 



The dress of both sexes consists of a piece of cloth, or 

 matting, wrapped round the waist, and hanging down 

 below the knees. From the waist upwards they are 

 generally naked, and it seemed to be a custom to anoint 

 these parts every morning. 



Their ornaments were amulets, necklaces, and bracelets 

 of bones, shells, and beads of mother-of-pearl, and tortoise- 

 shell, which were worn by both sexes. They make various 

 sorts of matting some of a very fine texture, which is 

 generally used for clothing and the thick and stronger 

 sort serves to sleep on, and to make sails for their canoes. 

 Among other useful utensils, they have various sorts of 

 baskets some made of the same materials as their mats, 

 and others of the twisted fibres of cocoanuts. These are 

 not only durable but beautiful, being generally composed 

 of different colours, and studded with beads made of shells 

 or bones. In short, they display abundance of ingenuity 

 in their different manufactures. 



The women frequently entertained them with songs, in 

 a manner which was agreeable enough. They accompany 

 the music by snapping their fingers, so as to keep time 

 to it. Not only their voices, but their music was very 

 harmonious, and they have a considerable compass in 

 their notes. Their instruments are a flute and a drum. 



The common method of saluting one another is by 

 touching or meeting noses, as is done in New Zealand, and 

 by the Esquimaux ; and their sign of peace to strangers is 

 the displaying a white flag or flags ; at least such were 



