THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
233 
none at all; though a few individuals had more of this fort 
of ornament, than we had ufually feen at other places, and 
ingenioully executed in a great variety of lines and figures, 
on the arms and fore-part of the body ; on which latter, 
fome of them had the figure of the taame , or breaft-plate, 
of Otaheite, though we did not meet with the thing itfelf 
amongft them. Contrary to the cuftom of the Society and 
Friendly Iflands, they do not flit, or cut off, part of th $ pre¬ 
puce ; but have it, univerfally, drawn over the glans , and 
tied with a firing, as pracfiifed by fome of the natives of 
New Zealand. 
Though they feem to have adopted the mode of living in 
villages, there is 110 appearance of defence, or fortification, 
near any of them; and the houfes are fcattered about, with¬ 
out any order, either with refpedt to their diftances from 
each other, or their polition in any particular diredtion. 
Neither is there any proportion as to their fize; fome being 
large and commodious, from forty to fifty feet long, and 
twenty or thirty broad, while others of them are mere ho¬ 
vels. Their figure is not unlike oblong corn, or hay-ftacks; 
or, perhaps, a better idea may be conceived of them, if we 
fuppofe the roof of a barn placed on the ground, in fuch a 
manner, as to form a high, acute ridge, with two very low 
fides, hardly difcernible at a diftance. The gable, at each 
end, correfponding to the fides, makes thefe habitations 
perfectly clofe all round ; and they are well thatched with 
long grafs, which is laid on {lender poles, difpofed with 
fome regularity. The entrance is made indifferently in the 
end or fide, and is an oblong hole, fo low, that one muft 
rather creep than walk in ; and is often fhut up by a board 
of planks, fattened together, which ferves as a door, but 
having no hinges, muft be removed occafionally. No light 
Vol. II. H h enters 
1778. 
F ebruary. 
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