xlii 



PREFACE". 



voyages, in his relation of Wallis's circumnavi- 

 gation of the globe, has the following observations : 



" Another sort of traffic was now established be- 

 tween the Indian girls and the sailors. The price 

 of a female's favours was a nail or two ; but as the 

 seamen could not always get at the nails, they drew 

 them out of several parts of the ship ; nor could the 

 offenders be discovered by the strictest inquiry. 

 The damage done to the vessel might have been 

 easily repaired ; but a worse consequence arose 

 from this traffic ; for, on the gunner's offering small 

 nails for hogs, the Indians produced large spikes, 

 demanding such as those. Some of the men made 

 use of a particular device to gratify their passions; 

 for when they could procure no more nails, they 

 cut lead into the shape of them, and passed those 

 pieces upon their unsuspecting paramours."^ 



" The women, as we have before observed, do 

 not consider chastity as a virtue ; for they not only 

 readily and openly trafficked with our people for 

 personal favours, but were brought down by their 

 fathers and brothers, for purposes of prostitution. 

 They were, however, conscious of the value of 

 beauty ; and the size of the nail that was demanded 

 for the enjoyment of the lady, was always in pro- 

 portion to her charms."t 



Forster, in his relation of Cook's voyage, states 

 the following facts : 



" The number of common women on board the 

 ship was considerably increased since we had be- 

 gun to deal in red feathers ; and this night in par- 

 ticular, many strolled about the decks, who could 

 not meet with partners. The goodness of their ap- 

 petite and digestion exposed them, however, to the 

 inconvenience of restlessness, and often disturbed 



* (Jollection of Voyages Round the World, n. 991 vol. S 

 n?)id.p. low. 



