59 
IWIIABITANTS' OF THE FHIENDLY ISLANDS. 
head only, others have it entirely cut off, except a single lod< ; the 
women in general wear it short. The men have their beards cut 
short ; and both men and women pluck the hair from the arm-pits. 
The men are stained from about the middle of the belly to about half 
way down the thighs with a deep blue colour. The women have also 
a few small lines or spots, which they imprint on the inside of their 
hands. 
The dress of both men and women is the same, and consists of a 
piece of cloth matting, about a yard wide, and 2J long, so as to go 
once and a half round the waist, to which it is confined by a girdle. 
It is double before, and hangs down like a petticoat, as low as the 
middle of the leg. When unfolded, there is cloth sufficient to draw 
up, and lap round the shoulders. The inferior sort often wear nothing 
but a covering made of leaves, or the maro, which is a narrow piece 
of cloth like a sash, passed between the thighs, and.wrapped round the 
waist. The use of this is chiefly confined to the men. 
The ornaments worn by both sexes are necklaces, made of the fruit 
of the pandanus, and various sweet-smelling flowers, w'hich they name 
Kahulla. Others are composed of small shells, bones of birds, shark's 
teeth, &c. all which hang loose upon the breast; rings of tortoise- 
shells on the fingers ; or joined together as bracelets on the wrists: 
The lobes on the ears, though most frequently only one, are per- 
forated with two holes, in which they w'ear cylindrical bits of ivory 
about three inches long. They bathe in the ponds, being sensible 
that salt water hurts the skin ; but when they bathe in the sea, they 
commonly have fresh water thrown upon them to wash it off. , Those 
of superior rank use cocoa-nut oil, which improves the appearance 
of the skin. 
The manufacturing of their cloth is wholly consigned to the care of 
the women ; as is also their mats, which are esteemed both for their 
texture and beauty, with many other articles of less note: as, combs, 
of w'hich they make vast numbers, and little baskets with small heads, 
all finished with great neatness and taste. The employment of the 
men is more laborious and extensive. Agriculture, architecture, 
boat-building, fishing, and other things that relate to navigation, are 
the objects of their care. Roots and fruit being their principal sup- 
port, they pay constant attention to agriculture, which they have 
brought to great perfection. In planting the plantains and yams 
they observe great exactness, and make the rows every w^ay regular 
and complete. The cocoa nut and bread-fruit trees are scattered 
about without order, and give them no trouble after they have attained 
a certain height. 
The houses of the lower people are poor huts, and very small, those 
of the higher ranks are larger and more comfortable. The dimensions 
of one of a middling size is 30 feet long, 20 broad, and 12 high. The 
house is, properly speaking, a thatched roof, supported by posts and 
rafters. The floor is raised with earth smoothed, covered with strong 
thick matting, and kept very clean. A thick strong mat, about three 
feet broad, bent in a semicircle, and set upon its edge, in shape re- 
sembling a fender, encloses a space for the master and mistress to 
sleep in. The rest sleep upon the floor, the unmarried men and wo* 
