F R I 
are vi'cll proportioned, and fome abfohitely peifeiill mo¬ 
dels of a beautiful figure. But the mofi remarkable dif- 
tinrtlon in the women, is the uncommon fmallnefs and 
delicacy of their fingers, which may be put in competi¬ 
tion with the finelt in Europe. I'he genera! colour is a 
cafl deeper than the copper brown ; but levcral of the 
men and women have a true olive complexion ; and fome 
of the lad are even a great deal fairer. Their counte¬ 
nances very remarkably exnrefs the abundant mildnefs 
which they nolEfs ; and are entirely free from that favage 
fiercenefs which marks nations in a barbarous Hate. They 
are frank, cheerful, and good-natured. 
Their hair is in gener.d firaight, thick, and firong, 
though a few have it bulky or frizzled. The natural 
colour is black; but the greatefi part of the men, and 
fome of the women, have-it dained of a brown or purple 
colour, and a few of an orange cad. They wear it va- 
rioudy cut. Some have it cut off on one fide of the 
liead only ; others have it entirely cvit off except a fingle 
lock ; the women in general wear it fliort. The men 
liave their beards cut fhort; and both men and women 
llrip the hair from the arm-pits. The men are dained 
from about the middle of the belly to about half-way 
down the thighs with a deep blue colour. The women 
have only a few fmall lines or fpots thus imprinted on the 
infide of their hands. Their kings, as a mark of didinc- 
tion, are exempted from this cudom. The men ufe cir- 
cumcifion. The drefs of both men and women is the 
fame, which conlids of a piece of cloth or .matting, about 
two yards wide, and two and a half long; at lead fo long 
as to go once and a half round the waid, to wiiich it is 
confined by a girdle or cord. The ornaments worn by 
both fexes are necklaces, made of the fruit of the pan- 
danus, and various fweet-fmelling flowers, which go un¬ 
der the name of kahulla. Others are compofed of fmall 
lliells, the wing and leg bones of birds, diark’s teeth, 
all which hang loofe upon the bread; rings of tor- 
toife (hells on the fingers ; and a number of thefe joined 
together as bracelets on the wrids. The lobes of the 
cars are perforated with two holes, in which they wear 
cylindrical bits of ivory about three inches long. 
Yams, plantains, and cocoa-nuts, compofe the greated 
part of their vegetable diet. Of their animal food, tlie 
chief articles are, hogs, fowls, fiflt, and all forts of-flieli- 
fifli; but the lower people eat rats. The two fird vege¬ 
table articles, with bread-fruit, are what may be called 
the bafis of their food, at different times of the year, 
with fifh and (hell-fidi ; for hogs, fowls, and turtle, feem 
only to be occafional dainties, referved for their chiefs. 
Their food is generally dreffed by baking; and they have 
the art of making, from different kinds of fruit, feveral 
dilhes which are edeemed very good. The generality of 
them lay their vidluals upon the fird leaf they meet 
with; but when food is ferved up to the chiefs, it is 
commonly-laid upon green plantain leaves. The women 
are not excluded from eating with the men ; but there 
are certain ranks or orders amongd them that can neither 
eat nor drink together. This didindjion begins with the 
king; but where it ends could not be learnt. They 
feem to have no fet time for meals. They go to bed as 
foon as it is dark, and .rife with the dawn in the morning. 
Their private diverfions are chiefly Tinging, dancing, and 
nujfic, performed by the women. The bulk of the peo¬ 
ple are fatisfied with one wife; the chiefs, however, have 
commonly feveral women. 
They appear to have little conception of future pit- 
nidiment; but they believe that they are judly punifhed 
upon earth; and confequently ufe every method to ren¬ 
der their divinities propitious. The Supreme Author of 
all things they call Kallafootaonga ; who, they fay, is a fe¬ 
male refiding in the (ky, and diredling the thunder, wind, 
rain, and in general all the changes of weather. They 
believe that when (he is angry with them, the produc¬ 
tions of the earth are blafled ; that many things are de- 
ilroyed by lightning ; and that they themfelves are af- 
VoL. VIII. No.483. 
F R I 49 
flidfed with ficknefs and death as well as their hogs andf 
other animals. When tliis anger abates, they fuppofe 
that every thing is redored to its natural order. 
Of the nature of their government, no more is known 
than the general outline. According to the information 
received, the power of the king is unlimited, and the 
life and property of the fubjedl are at his difpofal ; anfl 
indances enough were feen to prove tliat the lower order 
of people liave no property, nor fafety fir tiieir perfons, 
hut at the will ot the chiefs to whom they relpetlively 
belong. When any one wants to ('peak with the king, 
he advances and fits down before'hini with his legs acrofs ; 
which is a podure to which they ai e fo much accudomed, 
that any other mode of fitting is difngreeable to them. 
To fpeak to tl-.e king danding would be accounted ft drill¬ 
ing ntark of rudenefs. It is a particular privilege an¬ 
nexed to his fovereignty, not to be pundfured nor cir- 
cumcifed, as all his fubjedls are. The climate is healthy j 
and the population of thefe iflands isfuppofed to amount 
to about 200,000. Lat. 19. 40. to 21.30. S. 1011.184. 46. 
to 1S5. 45. E. Greenwich. 
FRIEND'LY SOCI'ETIES. Adbeiations, chiefly 
among the inferior clafs of tradefmen, for the purpofe of 
affording each other relief in ficknefs; and their widows 
and children fome adiflance at their death. Thefe have 
been thought worthy the protedlion of the legiflature, to 
prevent frauds which had arifen from the irregular prin¬ 
ciples on which many of tliem were condudted. The 
33 Geo. HI. c. 54, provides that any number of perfons 
may form themfelves into a fociety, and raife among 
themfelves a fund for their mutual benefit, and make 
rules and impofefines. The rules, declaring the purpofe 
for which fuch focieties are edablilhed, are to be exhibited 
to the quarter feflions, who may annul or confirm them ; 
in which latter cafe they are to be figned by tiie clerk of 
the peace. No rule thus confirmed to be altered but at a 
general meeting of the fociety, and fubjedl to the controul 
ot the feflions. Societies may appoint officers, who are 
to give fecurities for their trud, the treafurer or trudees 
by bond to the clerk of tlie peace, and other perfons to 
the treafurer or trudees ; which bonds are exempted from 
the damp duty. Committee of not lefs than eleven mem¬ 
bers may be appointed ; their powers to be declared by 
the fociety and fubjedl to their controul. Treafurers and 
trudees are enabled to lay out fubferiptions in purchafe 
of dock, &c. and to fell and change funds for the ufe of 
the fociety ; to render accounts, and pay over balances. 
In cafe of mifbehaviour of trudees, application to be 
made to tlie court of chancery, in wliicli proceedings are to 
be free of all expence of fees, damps, &c. and counfel to 
be afiigned gratis by the court. Executors orafiignees of 
trudees, &c. dying or becoming bankrupt, to pay thede. 
niands of the fociety in the fird place. Effedfs of the fo¬ 
cieties veded in treafurers and trudees, who may bring and 
defend adfions. Societies not to be diffolved without 
confent of five-fixths of the members ; rules entered in a 
book to be received as evidence. Societies may receive 
donations. Complaints of members againd dewards. See. 
to be fettled by two judices. If rules diredl dlfputes to 
be fettled by arbitration, the award of the arbitrators dial! 
be final. Members of focieties producing certificates of 
fleward, &c. not to be renioveable from any parifli till 
adtuaily chargeable • and fimilar provifions are made 
relative to .this, as to other certificates under the poor 
laws. Thus have .the legidature, with that humanity 
which peculiarly didinguidies the Britifli conditution, 
taken under their care a fet of men who, though general¬ 
ly ufefiil and indudrious, are but too apt not to be fuRi- 
ciently confeious of the benefits conferred upon them, by 
a form of government in which charity is enforced and re¬ 
garded as a ruling principle. 
FRIEND'SHIP, /. [ vriendfeap, Dut.] The date of 
minds united by mutual benevolence ; amity.—.There is 
Wide friendjhip in the world, and leaft of all between 
equals. Bacen,—-Higheft degree of intimacy : 
O ' My 
