1835. 



NATIVE CLOTHING CONDUCT. 



549 



scraps of clothing, which they unfortunately prefer to their 

 native dress. A woman, who has around her waist a substan- 

 tial native garment, which falls as low as the calf of the leg ; 

 and over her shoulders, folding in front across the bosom, a 

 mantle, or cloak, of similar material — appears to the eye of a 

 stranger much more decently dressed than the hasty lover of 

 novelty ; who seems proud of a dirty cotton gown, tied only at 

 the neck, and fluttering in the wind. Their Sunday dresses, 

 however, are clean and decent, though those of other days are 

 certainly much the contrary. An under-garment alone need be 

 added to the women^'s former dress of native manufacture, to 

 make it answer every purpose. Why should not home inge- 

 nuity, and domestic industry be encouraged ? 



The moral conduct and character of these islanders have 

 undergone so much discussion ; so various have been the deci- 

 sions, and so varying are the opinions of voyagers and residents, 

 that I, for one, am satisfied by the conclusion, that the good and 

 the bad are mixed in Otaheite, much as they are in other parts 

 of the world exposed to the contamination of unprincipled 

 people. That the missionaries have done so much, in checking 

 and restraining depravity, is to me matter of serious reflection. 

 But let us also remember, that the testimony of very trust- 

 worthy witnesses shews that there, even in earlier days, iniquity 

 did not search after those who sought not her abode ! ^* 



The Beagle''s stay was too short to enable us to form any 



* Cook says — *' Great injustice has been done the women of Otaheite, 

 and the Society Isles. The favours of married women, and also the un- 

 married of the better sort are as difficult to be obtained here, as in any 

 other country whatever. I must, however, allow, that they are all com- 

 pletely versed in the art of coquetry, and that very few of them fix any 

 bounds to their conversation. It is therefore no wonder that they have 

 obtained the character of libertines." 



In the excellent descriptions of Turnbull, we read : — "Much has been 

 said as to the licentiousness and loose conduct of the women. It is but 

 justice to say, that I saw nothing- of this. Their ideas of decency are 

 doubtless very different from ours; they must be judged therefore by a 

 very different standard." 



