136 CAPTAIN COOK 



short, and the women powdered it white, red or 

 blue. The latter were as a rule well-made and 

 pretty. 



Cook found among the natives no sick, lame 

 or maimed. They all appeared to him healthy, 

 strong and vigorous. 



Several strange customs struck the English- 

 men very forcibly, such as the method of saluta- 

 tion, which consisted of touching or rubbing 

 one's nose with that of the person greeted. This 

 method was the same as that practised in New 

 Zealand. 



Another curious custom which they observed 

 consisted in putting everything that was given 

 them on their heads, but what astonished Cook 

 and his companions most was that the greater 

 part of the men and women had lost their little 

 fingers. Cook learned later that they practised 

 this mutilation on the death of their relations or 

 friends. At Tahiti, as a sign of mourning, the 

 women made bloody wounds on their arms, legs 

 or faces with sharks' teeth. 



After a stay of a week in this smiling land, 

 where he took care to enrich the soil with many 

 garden seeds. Cook continued his voyage. His 

 intention was to return again to New Zealand, 

 to Queen Charlotte Sound, to take in the wood 

 and water which he needed. After that he was 



