152 
A VOYAGE TO 
i in- prize, ts Yes, the mother that bore me.” They have one 
er ', expreffion, that correfponds exactly with the phrafeology 
of the fcriptures, where we read of the 66 yearning of the 
bowels.” They nfe it on all occalions, when the paffions 
give them nnealinefs; as they conftantly refer pain from 
grief, anxious defire, and other affections, to the bowels, as 
its feat; where they likewife fuppofe all operations of the 
mind are performed. Their language admits of that in¬ 
verted arrangement of words, which fo much diftinguifhes 
the Latin and Greek from molt of our modern European 
tongues, whofe imperfections require a more orderly con- 
ftruCtion, to prevent ambiguities. It is fo copious, that for 
the bread-fruit alone, in its different ftates, they have above 
twenty names; as many for the taro root; and about ten 
for the cocoa-nut. Add to this, that, belides the common 
dialeCt, they often expoftulate, in a kind of ftanza or reci¬ 
tative, which is anfwered in the fame manner. 
Their arts are few and limple; yet, if we may credit 
them, they perform cures in furgery, which our extenfive 
knowledge in that branch has not, as yet, enabled us to imi¬ 
tate. In limple fraCtures, they bind them up with fplints; 
but if part of the fubftance of the bone be loft, they infert a 
piece of wood, between the fraCtured ends, made hollow 
like the deficient part. In five or fix days, the rapaoo , or 
furgeon, infpeffs the wound, and finds the wood partly co¬ 
vered with the growing flefli. In as many more days, it is 
generally entirely covered; after which, when the patient has 
acquired fome ftrength, he bathes in the water, and reco¬ 
vers. We know that wounds will heal over leaden bullets; 
and fometimes, though rarely, over other extraneous bodies. 
But what makes me entertain fome doubt of the truth of 1b 
extraordinary fkili, as in the above inftance, is, that in 
other 
