464 A NEW GROUP. [1830. 



selves. They then all take to their natural element ; and from that 

 time until the following summer, they continue feeding about the reefs, 

 but are seldom seen upon dry land. 



There are many other valuables here, which it is unnecessary to 

 mention at this time, as a full and particular description of these islands 

 will be given on my return from another contemplated voyage, when I 

 hope to exhibit substantial evidences of the value of this discovery. I 

 will now merely state that these islands are all thickly wooded, 

 containing thousands of cocoanut-trees and bread-fruit trees. They 

 differ much in size, being from three to fifteen miles in circuit. The 

 two openings or passages into the lagoon are about one hundred yards 

 wide each ; and have sufficient depth of water for a ship of five or six 

 hundred tons burthen ; and when once within the reef, she may choose 

 her depth of water to anchor in one of the finest harbours ever formed 

 by nature. 



Though the natives of these islands wear many ornaments, their 

 only article of dress, properly so called, is a sort of apron fastened 

 around the lower part of the body. With the males this is merely 

 the skin of a fish, but the females wear a small mat, manufactured 

 from the fibres of the bark of the cocoanut-tree, which reaches from 

 the hips nearly to the knees. In other respects both sexes dress 

 alike. Around their waists they wear many strings of coral, shells, 

 and feathers ; rings, hoops, or bracelets of tortoise-shell around their 

 wrists and arms ; tortoise-shell and mother-of-pearl shell around their 

 necks. 



The natives of these islands are of the usual stature, and well-pro- 

 portioned in body and limb. Their features are regular and manly ; 

 their eyes and foreheads indicative of much intellectual capability, and 

 in the general expression of their countenance the observer will at once 

 discover much ingenious inquisitiveness, enlivened by good-humoured 

 vivacity. Though their natural descent may have been originally from 

 the African race, their skin is not so black as the negroes of unmixed 

 blood in the United States ; neither have they the African flat foot, 

 protruding heel, crooked shins, &c, but their legs, as well as their 

 arms, are finely formed, muscular, strong, and active. Their hair is 

 short, curly, and crisp, and their teeth regular, sound, and white. The 

 chiefs are much tattooed on their limbs, chest, and shoulders, with a 

 large slit in the right ear, for suspending ornaments or insignia of 

 rank. All the males are circumcised at an early age. 



I was much surprised at falling in with this curious race of men, 

 differing in so many respects from all the numerous tribes and 

 nations by whom they are surrounded. I never saw any exactly like 

 them, in Europe, Asia, Africa, or America, nor on any of the islands 

 of Australasia or Polynesia. There is not the least resemblance be- 

 tween them and the Malays, the Carolinians, or the natives of New- 

 Ireland, New-Britain, or New-Guinea, nor can I form the least con- 

 jecture from whence these islands could have first been peopled. 



At three, P. M., while lying-to within half a mile of the reef which 

 surrounds this beautiful group of islands, the natives came off in great 



