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common. But, on the other hand, we met with hundreds of truly European faces, and many genuine Roman noses amongst them. Their eyes and teeth were good; but the last neither fo remarkably white, nor fo well fet as is often found among Indian nations; though, to balance that, few of them have any uncommon thickness about the lips, a defect as frequent as the other perfection.

The women are not fo much distinguished from the men by their features, as by their general form, which is, for the most part, deftitute of that ftrong fleshy firmness that appears in the latter. Though the features of fome are fo delicate as not only to be a true index of their fex, but to lay-claim to a confiderable fhare of beauty and expreffion, the rule is, by no means, fo general as in other countries. But at the fame time, this is frequently the moft exceptionable part; for the bodies and limbs of most of the females are well proportioned; and fome, absolutely, perfect models of a beautiful figure. But the most remarkable diftinction in the women, is the uncommon fmallness and delicacy of their fingers, which may be put in competition with the finest in Europe.

'Their general colour is a caft deeper than the copper-brown; but feveral of the men and women have a true olive complexion; and fome of the last are even a great deal fairer; which is probably the effect of being lefs expofed to the fun; as a tendency to corpulence, in a few of the principal people, feems to be the confequence of a more indolent life. It is also among the laft, that a foft clear fkin is most frequently observed. Amongst the bulk of the people, the fkin is, most commonly, of a dull hue, with fome degree of roughnefs, especially the parts that are not covered; which perhaps, may be occafioned Bbb 2

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by fome cutaneous disease. We faw a man and a boy at Hapaee, and a child at Annamooka, perfectly white. Such have been found amongst all black nations; but, I apprehend, that their colour is rather a disease, than a natural phænomenon.'

Capt. Cook first went on fhore at Annamooka, the chief of which ifland, Toubou conducted him and Omai to his house, fituated on a pleasant spot, in the centre of his plantation. A fine grafs-plot furrounded it, which, he gave him to understand, was for the purpose of cleaning their feet, before they went within doors. The floor of this houfe was covered with mats; and no carpet in the most elegant English drawing-room could be kept neater. But Captain Cook found a molt ftrenuous friend in Taipa, one of the chiefs, who had before vifited the fhips, in their firft intercourfe with the canoes that came off from fhore. He feemed to be the only active perfon about them; and, in order to be near the party that had landed, in the night as well as the day, had a houfe brought on men's fhoulders, a full quarter of a mile, and placed close to the fhed which the party occupied.

Befides the operations of making hay for the cattle, and filling the water cafks, a party was employed in cutting wood. The greateft plenty of this laft article being a-breast of the fhips, in a fituation the moft convenient for getting it on board, it was natural to make choice of this. The trees here were a fpecies of pepper, called faitanoo by the natives, yielded a juice of a milky colour, of fo corrofive a pature, that it raifed blifters in the fkin, and injured. the eyes of the workmen. They were, therefore, obliged to procure the wood from another quarter.

Soon after they were vifited by a great chief, from the principal ifland called Tongataboo. This chief, whole

whofe name was Feenou, Taipa was pleafed to introduce as king of all the Friendly Illands a character, although really a man of great confequence, he found it expedient to lay afide. In the mean time, great mutual civilities palied between Feenow and Capt. Cook.

We have already ramarked the general propenfity to thieving in the natives of thefe iflands. Even fome of the chiefs did not think the profeffion beneath them. One of them was detected carrying out of the fhip, concealed under his clothes, the bolt belonging to the fpun yarn winch; for which Captain Cook fentenced him to receive a dozen lathes, and keep him confined till he had paid a hog for his liberty. After this, he was not troubled with thieves of rank. Their fervants, however, were fill employed in this dirty work; and upon them a flogging seemed to make no great impreffion, than it would have done upon the main-maft.

On the 14th of May, Capt. Cook left Annamooka, and steered along a cluster of fmall iflands; most of them entirely clothed with trees, amongst which were many cocoa-palms; and each formed a profpect like a beautiful garden placed in the fea. To heighten this, the ferene weather they now had, contributed very much; and the whole might supply the imagination with the idea of fome fairy land realized. After noticing Toofoa, a volcanic ifle, at the distance of two leagues, the fmoke of which they faw several times, they arrived on the 17th, at the islands, called by the general name of Hepaee. The Friendly Iflanders have fome fuperftitious notions about the volcano upon Toofoa, which they fay is an Otooa, or Divinity.

Capt. Cook's reception at Hapace was the most honourable that can be imagined. The chiefs, not

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content with munificence, entertained their visitors with a varity of diverfions; among which were ingle combats with clubs, and wrestling and boxing matches, in the latter of which, even the women fignalized themselves. Feenou having expreffed a defire to fee the marines go through their military exercise, the Captain ordered them all afhore; and, after they had performed various evolutions, and fired feveral wollies, with which the numerous fpectators feemed well pleafed, the chief, in his turn, entertained them with an exhibition, which was performed with a dexterity and exactnefs, far furpaffing the fpecimen juft given to our military exercifes. It was a kind of dance, fo entirely different from any thing Capt. Cook had ever feen, that, as he himfelf observes, no defcription can give an adequate idea of it. It was performed by men, and 105 perfons bore their parts in it. in it. Each had in his hand an inftrument neatly made, fhaped like a paddle, two feet and a half long, with a small handle, and a thin blade; fo that it was very light. With thefe inflruments they made many and various flourishes, each of which was accomplished with a different attitude of the body, or a different movement. At first, the perfermers ranged themfelves in three lines, and by various evolutions, each man changed his station in fuch a manner, that those who had been in the rear, came in the front. Nor did they long remain in the fame position, but thefe changes were made by pretty quick transitions. At one time they extended themfelves in one line; they then formed themfelves into a femicircle; and lafty, into two fquare columns. While this last movement was executing, one of them advanced, and performed an antic dance before the Captain, which terminated the whole.

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The mufical inftruments confifted of two drums, er rather two hollow logs of wood, from which fome varied notes were produced. The dancers, however, did not feem to be much affifted by thefe founds, but by a chorus of vocal mufic, in which all the performers joined at the fame time. Their fongs were not deftitute of pleasing melody; and alt their correfponding motions were executed with fuch skill, that the numerous body of dancers feemed to act as if they were one great machine. It was the opinion of every one of us,' fays Capt. Cook, that fuch a performance would have met with univerfal applause on the European theatre; and it fo far exceeded any attempt we made to entertain them, that they feemed to pick themselves upon the fuperiority they had over us. As to our musical inftruments, they held none of them in the leaft efleem except the drum; and even that they did not think equal to their own. Our French horns, in particular, feemed to be held in great contempt.

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Capt. Cook defirous to give them a more faviourable idea of the English amufements, and to ferve their minds fully impreffed with a deep fenfe of our attainments, played off fome fire-works in the evening, most of which fucceeded fo perfectly, as to anfwer the end he had in view. The water and fkyrockets in particular, pleafed and aftonifhed them beyond all conception; and the fcale was now turned in our favour.

This feemed only to furnish them with an additional motive to proceed to freth exertions of their fingular dexterity; and our fire works were no fooner ended, than a fucceffion of dances, which Feenou got ready for our entertainments, began. As a prelude to them, a band of mufic, or chorus of eighteen men, feated themfelves before us, in the centre

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