1IMJ 



Their 



THE SA MOANS. 



Pcmonnl appear* n re. 

 Tiicir national character. 



of ten years with sores, ami which seems tnore 

 particularly to attack tin* face and head. The 

 mode in winch it in treated i* singular : the child 

 ii* rubbed with the bu»ks of the cocoa-nut, until all 

 tin* scabs am removed ; a soft pivpuratiou of the 

 bread-fruit is then applied, after which they are 

 washed. This operation is undergone every HUM 

 tin y bathe, wliich is daily. When ihfl bread fruit 

 is riot in season, a decoction of the husk uf the 

 coeua-nut is used in its place. 



The elephantiasis prevails b> a great extent 

 among men w ho are past the middle age ; uml some 

 of the cases are truly frightful. There are also 

 many instances in which women are affected hy it. 

 It does not appear l«i cause the least degree of 

 pun* Among the reasons that have beta as- 

 signed for the frequency of this disease are, the 

 habit of eating their food without salt, and I lie use 

 of cocoa-nut water ; to which may be added ex- 

 posure at night, and want of sufficient i-xtreise. 

 The latter cause, w hether it be capable (if producing 

 this disease or not, unquestionably exists ; ft-r they 

 are in the habit nf sitting for hours with their legs 

 bent under them, which must cause a stagnation of 

 healthy circulation. Laziness, however, cannot be 

 ascribed to them as a part of their national ehurne- 

 ter, fur they are disposed to exertion, and willing 

 to be employed. When, therefore, they have re- 

 ceived sufficient instruction, and civilization has 

 ■aught them new wants, they will probably become 

 an industrious and thriving people. 



Ophthalmia, which is supposed to arise from the 

 reflection of the sun from the sandy beaches ne;ir 

 which all their village;, are built, is so prevalent, 

 that, to speak within butinds, not less than a fifth 

 port nf the population is Affected with it"". In 

 most cases it was observed to begin on the inner 

 corner of the eye, whence it extends gradually over 

 the pupil, until the sight is completely lost. As 

 lite disease advances, the thickness of the lilm in- 

 creases, and when it has covered the eye, that 

 organ becomes enlarged aud appears to project. 

 From appearances it would not be di Hi cult to re- 

 move the film, and thus cure the disorder ; but the 

 natives have not made any attempt of the kind. 

 Several cases of total blindness arising from this 

 disorder were seen. 



The v.Miereal disease dors tint e\i*t at Tutuila, 

 and is hardly known in the other islands. This 

 serves to prove how great a superiority this island 

 possesses over Tahiti in the chastity of its females, 

 who in general observe their marriage vow with 

 strict fidelity. 



Fevers are rave, and those of a remittent and 

 intermittent type are uuknown ; in fact, the geolo- 

 gical formation of these Mauds is by no means 

 favourable to the generation of the miasmata that 

 cause (hem. 



No menus ..f medical assistance are attached to 

 the English mission, and the missionaries, there- 

 fore, can do but little in alleviating the mala- 

 dies of the natives. Even their slight knowledge 

 dl remedies affords some alleviation, and their 

 practice is far preferable to that of the natives, 

 who always abandon to their fate those who are 

 very ill. 



Among the few curative means that llie natives 

 do employ is a sort of shampooing. This is per- 



* It is no common at Savail, that at least one case of 

 Minilnese, in one or botti eve*, i> to be sctn in every family. 



formed by nibbing the body and limbs w ith the 

 hands, at first gently, and gradually more and 

 more roughly. These manipulations are applied as 

 a restorative after fatigue, aud to alleviate pain. 

 For the former purpose, they are effectual, and 

 often abate, if they do not remove, the latter. 



Among all the Polynesian islanders, the men 

 ■ if Samoa rank, in point of personal appearance, 

 second only to the Toiigese ; and many specimens 

 i f manly beauty art 1 to be seen among them. As 

 much cannot be snid uf the women, who are 

 rather ill-formed aud stout. When very young, 

 however, some of them are pretty, and their 

 colour is light, being little darker than that of 

 a brunette or South American Spaniard. The 

 eirls are lively, have a good expression of counte- 

 nance, and, what is rare in Polynesia, have some 

 degree uf bosh fulness. 



The average height of the men is five feet ten 

 inches, nml some of the chiefs, whose limbs are 

 well rounded, would be called fine-looking men in 

 nny part of the world. Their features are not in 

 nam] prominent, but arc well marked and dis- 

 tinct, and are all referable to a common type. The 

 nose is short and wide at the base ; the mouth 

 large and well filled with white and strong teeth, 

 with full and well-turned lips ; the eyes black, and 

 often large aud bright ; the forehead narrow and 

 high ; and the cheek-bones promineut. It was 

 observed that some of them had the eye turned 

 up at the outer comer like the Chinese. Of beard 

 they have but little, but their hair is strong, 

 straight, and very black ; instances, however, were 

 observed, where it had Wen turned to a earroty 

 red, by washing it with lime-water for the purpose 

 of destroying the vermin (pediculus huiuanus). 



When the Mauds were first visited, the natives 

 wore represented as ferocious and treacherous. 

 This arose in a great degree from the bloody con- 

 flict they had with the boats of La Peiousc'a 

 squadron; and the opinion was kept up by the just 

 resentment they in some cases manifested for 

 wrongs committed on them hy lawless visitors. 

 The instance of Opotuno, however, shows that this 

 idea of their character is not entirely without 

 foundation. Viewed in a more favourable light, 

 they are, as we found them, kind, good-humoured, 

 intelligent, fond of amusements, desirous of pleas- 

 ing, and very hospitable. Both sexes show great 

 kindness and love for their children, and age is so 

 much respected that only old men are admitted to 

 council. As a shade on this picture, they ore in- 

 dolent, covetous, fickle, deceitful, and little reliance 

 can be placed upon them. To illustrate these tea- 

 turos of their character : the first question asked 

 w hen a chief receives a visitor is, " What present 

 will you take f n for they consider it incumbent 

 ii|.i»n them to hestow MOM token of regard, and a 

 neglect to offer it would be indecorous. This 

 custom was always complied with, when any of our 

 officers visited them ; and although it was evident 

 they did not wish to part with any thing valuable, 

 their choicest possessions were exhibited as if for 

 the choice of the stranger. On the refusal of their 

 offered presents, great joy was always to be 

 observed in their countenance and manner, slew- 

 ing that they rejoiced in an escape from loss, 

 while they had at the same time performed the 

 prescribed rites of hospitality. This risk being 

 over, they were too happy to supply us with cocoa- 



