THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
*53 
other cafes which fell under my own obfervation, they are 
far from being fo dexterous. I have feen the ftump of an 
arm, which was taken off, after being fhattered by a fall 
from a tree, that bore no marks of fkilful operation, though 
fome allowance be made for their defective inftruments. 
And I met with a man going about with a diflocated 
fhoulder, fome months after the accident, from their being 
ignorant of a method to reduce it; though this be confider- 
ed as one of the limpleft operations of our furgery. They 
know that fractures or luxations of the fpine are mortal, 
but not fradlures of the fcull; and they likewife know, 
from experience, in what parts of the body wounds prove 
fatal. They have fometimes pointed out thofe inflidted by 
fpears, which, if made in the direction they mentioned, 
would certainly have been pronounced deadly by us; and 
yet thefe people have recovered. 
Their phylical knowledge feems more confined; and 
that, probably, becaufe their difeafes are few r er than their 
accidents. The priefts, however, adminifter the juices of 
herbs in fome cafes; and women who are troubled with 
after-pains, or other diforders after child-bearing, ufe a 
remedy which one would think needlefs in a hot coun¬ 
try. They firfi: heat ftones, as when they bake their food ; 
then they lay a thick cloth over them, upon which is 
put a quantity of a fmall plant of the muftard kind; and 
thefe are covered with another cloth. Upon this they 
feat themfelves, and fweat plentifully, to obtain a cure.. 
The men have pra&ifed the fame method for the ve¬ 
nereal lues , but find it ineffectual. They have no emetic 
medicines. 
1777. 
December. 
Notwithftanding the extreme fertility of the iiland, a fa¬ 
mine frequently happens, in which, it is faid, many perifii. 
Yol. II. • X Whether 
