THE MALAY RACE. 



85 



able to perceive the difference. While questioning him on the sub- 

 ject of tattooing, I accidentally touched his knee on the inner side : 

 his countenance at once changed, and he rejoined, "you are a very 

 saucy man." 



An islet near the anchorage was regarded as neutral ground ; and 

 notwithstanding Faatu's alleged position, our canoe-men took refuge 

 there for the night, regarding the main shore as unsafe. I have 

 before spoken of a difference in social relations between the Eastern 

 and Western Polynesians : and many of the Tonga women, who 

 had attained full growth, were found on inquiry to be unmarried. 

 The same islet was frequented by the women of both contending 

 parties; and in reference to the above subject, a European resident 

 used these words : " no amount of property would here avail ; for the 

 reason, that there is no one present to exercise control over them." 



The natives of Tongataboo, unlike the other Tropical Polynesians, 

 were observed to avoid the water; on account, it was said, of the 

 " numbers and voracity of the sharks." Many of the women had 

 lost the little finger of one hand, a custom apparently derived from 

 the Feejeeans, and which is discontinued in converted families. A 

 portion only of the men were tattooed ; another circumstance attri- 

 butable perhaps to the example of their Feejee neighbours. The 

 markings, when present, were chiefly confined to the thighs, as 

 with the Samoans. The houses, too, were much like the Samoan ; 

 except in the use of wicker-work of the small-stemmed sugar-cane. 

 An explanation of the plan of a European house, "with its separate 

 floors, and as high as a cocoa palm," excited some merriment. 



Individuals with frizzled hair were numerous; presenting other- 

 wise no difference in feature or complexion from the rest of the 

 population, and no appearance of mixed descent. I could not learn 

 with certainty that the peculiarity was the work of art; and indeed, 

 frizzled hair was said "to be not esteemed." My informant further 

 stated, that the preparation of lime, here first seen applied to the hair 

 of Polynesians, " was for the purpose of making it stand upright." 

 These statements, however, are not irreconcilable with Feejee cus- 

 toms; and we subsequently met with some unequivocal imitations. 

 The confusion in the published accounts of the population of the 

 more western groups, is perhaps in part attributable to this artificial 

 mode of dressing the hair. 



I had not much opportunity of observing the prevailing diseases. 

 Humpbacks were common, but the proportion was less than at 



22 



