THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
383 
they do not feem to regard it much; and as we faw few 1777. 
figns of its deftroying effects, probably the climate, and the , ^ uly ‘ 
way of living of thefe people, greatly abate its virulence. 
There are two other difeafes frequent among!! them ; one 
of which is an indolent firm fwelling, which affedf s the legs 
and arms, and increafes them to an extraordinary fize in 
their whole length. The other is a tumour of the fame 
fort, in the tefticles, which fometimes exceed the fize of 
the two fills. But, in other refpe£ls, they may be confidered 
as uncommonly healthy; not a fingle perfon having been 
feen, during our flay, confined to the houfe, by ficknefs of 
any kind. On the contrary, their ftrength and a£!ivity are, 
every way, anfwerable to their mufcular appearance; and 
they exert both, in their ufual employment, and in their 
diverfions, in fuch a manner, that there can be no doubt of 
their being, as yet, little debilitated by the numerous dif¬ 
eafes that are the confequence of indolence, and an unna¬ 
tural method of life. 
The graceful air and firm ftep with which thefe people 
walk, are not the leaf! obvious proof of their perfonal 
accomplifiiments. They confider this as a thing fo na¬ 
tural, or fo necefiary to be acquired, that nothing ufed 
to excite their laughter fooner, than to fee us frequently 
{tumbling upon the roots of trees, or other inequalities of 
the ground. 
Their countenances very remarkably exprefs the abun¬ 
dant mildnefs, or good-nature, which they pofiefs; and are 
entirely free from that favage keennefs which marks na¬ 
tions in a barbarous Hate. One would, indeed, be apt to 
fancy that they had been bred up under the fevereft re- 
{trillions, to acquire an afpe6t fo fettled, and fuch a com¬ 
mand of their paflions, as well as fteadinefs in conduct. 
3 But 
