THIRD VOYAGE 275 



of these poor natives of the Pacific Ocean, whose minds we 

 overpowered with the glare of objects equally new to 

 them as they were captivating. The thefts so frequently 

 committed by the natives, of what we had brought along 

 with us, may be said to arise solely from an intense curiosity 

 or desire to possess something which they had not been 

 accustomed to before, and belonged to a sort of people so 

 different from themselves. 



" Their hair is in general straight, thick, and strong, 

 though a few have it bushy or frizzled. The natural colour, 

 I believe, almost without exception, is black ; but the 

 greatest part of the men, and some of the women, have 

 it stained of a brown or purple colour, and a few of an 

 orange cast. 



" The dress of both men and women is the same, and 

 consists of a piece of cloth or matting (but mostly the 

 former) about two yards wide and two and a half long at 

 least so long as to go once and a half round the waist, to 

 which it is confined by a girdle or cord. It is double before 

 and hangs down like a petticoat, as low as the middle of the 

 leg. The upper part of the garment, above the girdle, is 

 plaited into several folds, so that, when unfolded, there is 

 cloth sufficient to draw up and wrap round the shoulders, 

 which is very seldom done. The inferior sort are satisfied 

 with small pieces, and very often wear nothing but a 

 covering made of leaves of plants, or the maro, which is a 

 narrow piece of cloth or matting like a sash. This they 

 pass between the thighs and wrap round the waist, but the 

 use of it is chiefly confined to the men. 



" The ornaments worn by both sexes are necklaces made 

 of the fruit of the pandanus, and various sweet-smelling 

 flowers which go under the general name of kahulla. Others 

 are composed of small shells, the wing and leg-bones of birds, 

 sharks' teeth, and other things, all which hang loose upon 

 the breast, rings of tortoiseshell on the fingers, and a number 

 of these joined together as bracelets on the wrists. 



" The employment of the women is of the easy kind, and 

 for the most part such as may be executed in the house. 

 The manufacturing their cloth is wholly consigned to their 

 care. 



' The manufacture next in consequence, and also within 

 the department of the women, is that of their mats, which 

 excel everything I have seen at any other place, both as to 

 their texture and their beauty. 



" The province allotted to the men, as might be expected, 

 is far more laborious and extensive than that of the women. 

 Agriculture, architecture, boat-building, fishing, and other 

 things that relate to navigation, are the objects of their care. 



