106 



Their diseases. 



THE SAMOANS. 



Personal appearance. 

 Their national character. 



of ten years with sores, and which seems more 

 particularly to attack the face and head. The 

 mode in which it is treated is singular : the child 

 is rubbed with the husks of the cocoa-nut, until all 

 the scabs are removed ; a soft preparation of the 

 bread-fruit is then applied, after which they are 

 washed. This operation is undergone every time 

 they bathe, which is daily. When the bread-fruit 

 is not in season, a decoction of the husk of the 

 cocoa-nut is used in its place. 



The elephantiasis prevails to a great extent 

 among men who are past the middle age ; and some 

 of the cases are truly frightful. There are also 

 many instances in which women are affected by it. 

 It does not appear to cause the least degree of 

 pain. Among the reasons that have been as- 

 signed for the frequency of this disease are, the 

 habit of eating their food without salt, and the use 

 of cocoa-nut water ; to which may be added ex- 

 posure at night, and want of sufficient exercise. 

 The latter cause, whether it be capable of producing 

 this disease or not, unquestionably exists ; for they 

 are in the habit of sitting for hours with their legs 

 bent under them, which must cause a stagnation of 

 healthy circulation. Laziness, however, cannot be 

 ascribed to them as a part of their national charac- 

 ter, for they are disposed to exertion, and willing 

 to be employed. When, therefore, they have re- 

 ceived sufficient instruction, and civilization has 

 taught them new wants, they will probably become 

 an industrious and thriving people. 



Ophthalmia, which is supposed to arise from the 

 reflection of the sun from the sandy beaches near 

 which all their villages are built, is so prevalent, 

 that, to speak within bounds, not less than a fifth 

 part of the population is affected with it*. In 

 most cases it was observed to begin on the inner 

 corner of the eye, whence it extends gradually over 

 the pupil, until the sight is completely lost. As 

 the disease advances, the thickness of the film in- 

 creases, and when it has covered the eye, that 

 organ becomes enlarged and appears to project. 

 From appearances it would not be difficult to re- 

 move the film, and thus cure the disorder ; but the 

 natives have not made any attempt of the kind. 

 Several cases of total blindness arising from this 

 disorder were seen. 



The venereal disease does not exist at Tutuila, 

 and is hardly known in the other islands. This 

 serves to prove how great a superiority this island 

 possesses over Tahiti in the chastity of its females, 

 who in general observe their marriage vow with 

 strict fidelity. 



Fevers are rare, and those of a remittent and 

 intermittent type are unknown ; in fact, the geolo- 

 gical formation of these islands is by no means 

 favourable to the generation of the miasmata that 

 cause them. 



No means of medical assistance are attached to 

 the English mission, and the missionaries, there- 

 fore, can do but little in alleviating the mala- 

 dies of the natives. Even their slight knowledge 

 of remedies affords some alleviation, and their 

 practice is far preferable to that of the natives, 

 who always abandon to their fate those who are 

 very ill. 



Among the few curative means that the natives 



do employ is a sort of shampooing. This is per- 



It is so common at Savaii, that at least one case of 



blindness, in one or both eyes, is to be seen in every family. 



formed by rubbing the body and limbs with the 

 hands, at first gently, and gradually more and 

 more roughly. These manipulations are applied as 

 a restorative after fatigue, and to alleviate pain. 

 For the former purpose they are effectual, and 

 often abate, if they do not remove, the latter. 



Among all the Polynesian islanders, the men 

 of Samoa rank, in point of personal appearance, 

 second only to the Tongese ; and many specimens 

 of manly beauty are to be seen among them. As 

 much cannot be said of the women, who are 

 rather ill-formed and stout. When very young, 

 however, some of them are pretty, and their 

 colour is light, being little darker than that of 

 a brunette or South American Spaniard. The 

 girls are lively, have a good expression of counte- 

 nance, and, what is rare in Polynesia, have some 

 degree of bashfulness. 



The average height of the men is five feet ten 

 inches, and some of the chiefs, whose limbs are 

 well rounded, would be called fine-looking men in 

 any part of the world. Their features are not in 

 general prominent, but are well marked and dis- 

 tinct, and are all referable to a common type. The 

 nose is short and wide at the base ; the mouth 

 large and well filled with white and strong teeth, 

 with full and well-turned lips ; the eyes black, and 

 often large and bright ; the forehead narrow and 

 high ; and the cheek-bones prominent. It was 

 observed that some of them had the eye turned 

 up at the outer corner like the Chinese. Of beard 

 they have but little, but their hair is strong, 

 straight, and very black ; instances, however, were 

 observed, where it had been turned to a carroty 

 red, by washing it with lime-water for the purpose 

 of destroying the vermin (pediculus humanus). 



When the islands were first visited, the natives 

 were represented as ferocious and treacherous. 

 This arose in a great degree from the bloody con- 

 flict they had with the boats of La Perouse's 

 squadron; and the opinion was kept up by the just 

 resentment they in some cases manifested for 

 wrongs committed on them by lawless visitors. 

 The instance of Opotuno, however, shows that this 

 idea of their character is not entirely without 

 foundation. Viewed in a more favourable light, 

 they are, as we found them, kind, good-humoured, 

 intelligent, fond of amusements, desirous of pleas- 

 ing, and very hospitable. Both sexes show great 

 kindness and love for their children, and age is so 

 much respected that only old men are admitted to 

 council. As a shade on this picture, they are in- 

 dolent, covetous, fickle, deceitful, and little reliance 

 can be placed upon them. To illustrate these fea- 

 tures of their character : the first question asked 

 when a chief receives a visitor is, " What present 

 will you take ? " for they consider it incumbent 

 upon them to bestow some token of regard, and a 

 neglect to offer it would be indecorous. This 

 custom was always complied with, when any of our 

 officers visited them ; and although it was evident 

 they did not wish to part with any thing valuable, 

 their choicest possessions were exhibited as if for 

 the choice of the stranger. On the refusal of their 

 offered presents, great joy was always to be 

 observed in their countenance and manner, show- 

 ing that they rejoiced in an escape from loss, 

 while they had at the same time performed the 

 prescribed rites of hospitality. This risk being 

 over, they were too happy to supply us with cocoa- 



