300 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



they succumbed to European weapons, and in 1817 Kotzebue met with 

 only a solitary couple of the old original stock. At present Spaniards and 

 mestizos, mulattoes, Philippine and Sandwich Islanders, Carolinians, &c., 

 inhabit the Marian Islands. All the inhabitants profess the Christian reli- 

 gion, and wear a cross around the neck, and in every village a stone cross 

 is erected. 



The Inhabitants of the Friendly Islands. 



They are in general of handsome, regular growth, large, vigorous, and 

 fleshy, without being so stout as the inhabitants of the Society Islands. 

 Corpulency is rare ; a few of the chiefs only being inclined to it. Physiog- 

 nomy varies as it does amongst the Caucasian race, and if we can trust 

 some of the representations, may even be called handsome. Many have 

 smooth hair, not very thick lips, and some an arched nose. The eyes are 

 rather small, and oblique ; the complexion, particularly of persons of distinc- 

 tion, is not very dark — about like that of the inhabitants of the southernmost 

 parts of Europe. Women of rank frequently have a handsome figure, and 

 an almost entirely white complexion. In general, the Tongans (inhabitants 

 of Tonga-Taboo) enjoy good health, but are sometimes troubled with a kind 

 of leprosy. In their intercourse with Europeans, they show themselves in 

 the beginning very friendly and amiable ; after some acquaintance, how- 

 ever, they evince directly opposite qualities. They are covetous, daring, 

 and masters of the art of dissimulation; but, on the other hand, hospitable, 

 courteous, and magnanimous ; very brave and decided in character, without 

 being at the same time addicted to boasting. In mental capacity, there 

 appears to be a great similarity between them and the New Zealanders. In 

 their households they are very mild and amiable, and greatly devoted to 

 their superiors, strangers, and relations. 



The dwellings are neatly and very durably constructed, mostly oval, and 

 about 30 feet long, 20 feet broad, and 12 to 15 feet high, if they belong to men 

 of rank ; the huts of the lower classes are much smaller. They consist of a 

 scaffold of props and beams, which are very dexterously joined, and nailed 

 together with cocoa pegs. At the two sides, the roof reaches to within four 

 feet of the ground ; at both ends, however, it touches the floor. People of 

 rank thatch it with sugar-cane leaves; poor persons use cocoa mats. Their 

 utensils are simple, and exhibit no great variety. A number of houses are 

 usually grouped into small villages, several of which are fortified. Their 

 food consists of bananas, bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, fish, shell-fish, &c. ; pork, 

 poultry, and turtle, appear upon the tables of the rich. Common people, 

 among other things, eat rats. The dress of both sexes consists of a piece of 

 stuff wrapped around the hips, and fastened with a girdle. Poor persons 

 frequently possess nothing but an apron. For a head-dress a cap, or a kind of 

 turban, or a feather crown is worn. Some wear long pendent hair; others 

 cut it short all over, or only on certain parts of the head ; it is rubbed with 

 pomatum and all kinds of greasy substances, and a red, white, or fair color 

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