a cluster of islands in the Pacific ocean, so named by Captain Cook in the year 1773, on account of the friendship which appeared to subsist among the inhabitants, and from their courteous behaviour to strangers. Abel Janzen Tafman, an eminent Dutch navigator, first touched here in 1643, and gave names to the principal islands. Captain Cook laboriously explored the whole cluster, which he found to consist of more than 60. The three islands which Tafman saw he named New Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Middleburgh. The first is the largest, and extends about 21 miles from east to west, and about 13 from north to south. These islands are inhabited by a race of Indians, who cultivate the earth with great industry. The island of Amsterdam is intersected by a straight and pleasant road with fruit trees on each side, which provide shade from the scorching heat of the sun. The chief islands are Annamooka, Tongataboo (the residence of the sovereign and the chiefs), Lefooga, and Eoaa. Lefooga is about seven miles long, and in some places not above two or three broad. It is in many respects superior to Annamooka. The plantations are both more numerous and more extensive; and enclosed by fences which, running parallel to each other, form fine spacious public roads, which would appear beautiful in countries where rural conveniences have been carried to the greatest perfection. They are, in general, highly cultivated, and well stocked with the several roots and fruits which these islands produce; and Captain Cook endeavoured to add to their number by planting Indian corn, and the seeds of melons, pumpkins, and the like. Eoaa, when viewed from the ship at anchor, formed one of the most beautiful prospects in nature, and very different from the others of the Friendly Isles; which being low, and perfectly level, exhibit nothing to the eye but the trees which cover them: whereas here, the land rising gently to a considerable height, presents us with an extensive prospect, where groves of trees are only interposed at irregular distances, in beautiful disorder, and all the rest is covered with grass, except near the shores where it is entirely covered with fruit and other trees; amongst which are the habitations of the natives. In order to have a view of as great a part of the island as possible, Captain Cook and some of his officers walked up to the highest point of the island. From this place they had a view of almost the whole island, which consisted of beautiful meadows of prodigious extent, adorned with tufts of trees, and intermixed with plantations. 'While I was surveying this delightful prospect (says Captain Cook), I could not help flattering myself with the pleasing idea that some future navigator may, from the same station, behold these meadows stocked with cattle, brought to these islands by the ships of England; and that the completion of this single benevolent purpose, independent of all other considerations, would sufficiently mark to posterity, that our voyages had not been useless to the general interests of humanity. 'The next morning,' says our benevolent commander, 'I planted a pine apple, and sowed the seeds of melons and other vegetables in Taoofa's plantation. I had indeed some encouragement to flatter myself that my endeavours of this kind also would not be fruitless; as I had this day a dish of turnips served up at my dinner, which was the produce of seeds I left here in my former voyage.'

The natives of these islands seldom exceed the common stature; but are very strong and well made, especially as to their limbs. They are generally broad about the shoulders; and though the muscular disposition of the men, which seems a consequence of much action, rather conveys the appearance of strength than of beauty, there are several to be seen who are really handsome. The women are not so much distinguished from the men by their features as by their general form, which is for the most part deficient of that strong fleshy firmness that appears in the latter. The features of some are so delicate, as not only to be a true index of their sex, but to lay claim to a considerable share of beauty and expression: for the bodies and limbs of most of the females are well proportioned; and some absolutely perfect models of a beautiful figure. But the most remarkable distinction in the women is the uncommon smallness and delicacy of their fingers, which may be put in competition with the finest in Europe. The general colour is a cast deeper than the copper brown; but several of the men and women have a true olive complexion: and some of the last are even a great deal fairer. Their countenances very remarkably express the abundant mildness or good nature which they possess; and are entirely free from that savage keenness which marks nations in a barbarous state. They are frank, cheerful, and good-natured.

There are, upon the whole, few natural defects or deformities to be found among these people. The most common is the tetter or ring worm, that seems to affect almost one half of them, and leaves whitish pustulent marks everywhere behind it; but this is of less consequence than another which is very frequent, and appears on every part of the body. Captain Cook had the mortification to learn that all the care he took when he first visited these islands, to prevent the venereal disease from being communicated to the inhabi- tants, had proved ineffectual. What is extraordinary, they do not seem to regard it much; and as there appeared few signs of its destroying effects, probably the climate, and the way of living of these people, greatly abated its virulence. There are two other complaints frequent amongst them; one of which is an indolent firm swelling, that affects the legs and arms, and increases them to an extraordinary size in their whole length. The other is a tumor of the same sort in the testicles, which sometimes exceeds the size of the two fists. But in other respects they may be considered as uncommonly healthy.

Their hair is in general straight, thick, and strong, though a few have it bushy or frizzled. The natural colour is black; but the greatest part of the men, and some of the women, have it stained of a brown or purple colour, and a few of an orange cast. They wear it variously cut. Some have it cut off on one side of the head only; others have it entirely cut off except a single lock; the women in general wear it short. The men have their beards cut short; and both men and women strip the hair from the armpits. The men are stained from about the middle of the belly to about half way down the thighs with a deep blue colour. The women have only a few small lines or spots thus imprinted on the inside of their hands. Their kings, as a mark of distinction, are exempted from this custom.

The men are all circumcised, or rather supercircised, as the operation consists in cutting off only a small piece of the foreskin at the upper part: which by that means is rendered incapable ever after of covering the glans. This is all they aim at, as they say the operation is practised from a notion of cleanliness.

The dress of both men and women is the same; and consists of a piece of cloth or matting (but mostly the former) about two yards wide and two and a half long: at least so long as to go once and a half round the waist, to which it is confined by a girdle or cord. It is double before, and hangs down like a petticoat, as low as the middle of the leg. The upper part of the garment above the girdle is plaited into several folds; so that, when unfolded, there is cloth sufficient to draw up and wrap round the shoulders; which is very seldom done. The inferior sort are satisfied with small pieces; and very often wear nothing but a covering made of leaves of plants, or the maro, which is a narrow piece of cloth or matting like a sash. This they pass between the thighs and wrap round the waist; but the use of it is chiefly confined to the men. The ornaments worn by both sexes are necklaces, made of the fruit of the pandanus, and various sweet smelling flowers, which go under the general name of kahulli. Others are composed of small shells, the wing and leg-bones of birds, shark's teeth, and other things; all which hang loose upon the breast; rings of tortoise shell on the fingers; and a number of these joined together as bracelets on the wrists. The lobes of the ears (though most frequently only one), are sometimes perforated with two holes, in which they wear cylindrical bits of ivory about three inches long.

Cleanliness induces them to bathe in the ponds, which seem to serve for no other purpose. They are sensible that salt water hurts their skin; and when necessity obliges them to bathe in the sea, they commonly have some cocoa nut shells filled with fresh water poured over hem to wash it off. People of superior rank use cocoa nut oil, which improves the appearance of the skin very much.

The employment of the women is of the easy kind, and, for the most part, such as may be executed in the house. The manufacturing their cloth is wholly confided to their care; as is also that of their mats, which are esteemed both for their texture and their beauty. There are many other articles of use note that employ the spare time of their females; as combs, of which they make vast numbers, and little baskets with small beads; but all finished with such neatness and taste in the disposition of the various parts, that a stranger cannot help admiring their fidelity and dexterity.

The province allotted to the men, as might be expected, is far more laborious and extensive than that of the women. Agriculture, architecture, boat building, fishing, and other things that relate to navigation, are the objects of their care. Cultivated roots and fruits being their principal support, this requires their constant attention to agriculture, which they pursue very diligently, and seem to have brought almost to as great perfection as circumstances will permit. In planting the plantains and yams, they observe so much exactness, that, which ever way you look, the rows present themselves regular and complete. The cocoa nut and bread fruit trees are scattered about without any order, and seem to give them no trouble after they have attained a certain height.

The huts of the lower people are poor huts, and very small; those of the better sort are larger and more comfortable. The dimensions of one of a middling size are about 30 feet long, 20 broad, and 12 high. Their house is, properly speaking, a thatched roof or shed, supported by posts and rafters, disposed in a very judicious manner. The floor is raised with earth smoothed, and covered with strong thick matting, and kept very clean. A thick strong mat, about two and a half or three feet broad, bent into the form of a semicircle, and set upon its edge, with the ends touching the side of the house, in shape resembling the fender of a fire hearth, encloses a space for the matter and mistress of the family to sleep in. The rest of the family sleep upon the floor, wherever they please to lie down; the unmarried men and women apart from each other: Or if the family be large, there are small huts adjoining, to which the servants retire in the night; so that privacy is as much observed here as one could expect. The clothes that they wear in the day serve for their covering in the night. Their whole furniture consists of a bowl or two, in which they make kava; a few gourds; cocoa nut shells; and some small wooden stools, which serve them for pillows.

They display much ingenuity in the building of their canoes, as well as in the navigating them.

The only tools which they use to construct them, which are very dexterously made, are hatchets, or rather thick adzes, of a smooth black stone that abounds at Toofoa; augres, made of sharks teeth, fixed on small handles, and rats of a rough skin of a fish, fastened on flat pieces of wood, thinner on one side, which also have handles. The cordage is made from the fibres of the cocoa nut husk, which, though not more than nine or ten inches long, they plait, about the size of Friendly a quill, or leaf, to any length that they please, and roll it up in balls, from which the larger ropes are made by twisting several of these together. The lines that they fish with are as strong and even as the best cord we make, resembling it almost in every respect. Their other fishing implements are large and small hooks made of pearl shell. Their weapons are clubs of different sorts, (in the ornamenting of which they spend much time), spears and darts. They have also bows and arrows; but these seemed to be designed only for amusement, such as shooting at birds, and not for military purposes. The stools are about two feet long, but only four or five inches high, and near four broad, bending downward in the middle, with four strong legs, and circular feet; the whole made of one piece of black or brown wood, neatly polished, and sometimes inlaid with bits of ivory.

Yams, plantains, and cocoa nuts, composed the greatest part of their vegetable diet. Of their animal food, the chief articles are, hogs, fowls, fish, and all sorts of shell fish; but the lower people eat rats. The two first vegetable articles, with bread fruit, are what may be called the basis of their food, at different times of the year, with fish and shell fish; for hogs, fowls, and turtle, seem only to be occasional dainties, reserved for their chiefs. Their food is generally dressed by baking, and they have the art of making, from different kinds of fruit, several dishes which most of us esteemed very good. The generality of them lay their virtuals upon the first leaf they meet with, however dirty it may be; but when food is served up to the chiefs, it is commonly laid upon green plantain leaves. The women are not excluded from eating with the men; but there are certain ranks or orders amongst them that can neither eat nor drink together. This distinction begins with the king; but where it ends could not be learnt. They seem to have no set time for meals. They go to bed as soon as it is dark, and rise with the dawn in the morning.

Their private diversions are chiefly singing, dancing, and music performed by the women. The dancing of the men has a thousand different motions with the hands, to which we are entire strangers; and they are performed with an ease and grace which are not to be described but by those who have seen them.

Whether their marriages be made lasting by any kind of solemn contract, our voyagers could not determine with precision; but it appeared that the bulk of the people satisfied themselves with one wife. The chiefs, however, have commonly several women, though it appeared as if one only was looked upon as the mistress of the family.

When any person of consequence dies, his body is washed and decorated by some woman or women, who are appointed on the occasion; and these women are not by their customs, to touch any food with their hands for many months afterwards; and it is remarkable, that the length of the time they are thus proscribed, is the greater in proportion to the rank of the chief whom they had washed.

The concern of these people for the dead is most extraordinary. They beat their teeth with stones, strike a shark's tooth into the head until the blood flows in streams, and thrust spears into the inner part of the thigh, into their sides below the armpits, and through the cheeks into the mouth. All these operations convey an idea of such rigorous discipline, as must require either an uncommon degree of affection, or the grossed superstition, to exact. It should be observed, however, that the more painful operations are only practised on account of the death of those most nearly connected.

Their long and general mourning proves, that they consider death as a very great evil. And this is confirmed by a very odd custom which they practise to avert it. They suppose that the Deity will accept of the little finger, as a sort of sacrifice efficacious enough to procure the recovery of their health. They cut it off with one of their stone hatchets. There appeared fearcely one in ten of them who was not thus mutilated in one or both hands. According to Captain King, it is common also for the inferior people to cut off a joint of their little finger on account of the sickness of the chiefs to whom they belong.

They seem to have little conception of future punishment. They believe, however, that they are justly punished upon earth; and consequently use every method to render their divinities propitious. The Supreme Author of all things they call Kalifet-stonga; who, they say, is a female residing in the sky, and directing the thunder, wind, rain, and in general all the changes of weather. They believe that when he is angry with them, the productions of the earth are blasted; that many things are destroyed by lightning; and that they themselves are afflicted with sickness and death as well as their hogs and other animals. When this anger abates, they suppose that everything is restored to its natural order. They also admit a plurality of deities, though all inferior to Kalifet-stonga. They have less absurd sentiments about the immateriality and the immortality of the soul. They call it life, the living principle; or, what is more agreeable to their notions of it, Olooa; that is, a divinity or invisible being.

Of the nature of their government no more is known than the general outline. According to the information received, the power of the king is unlimited, and the life and property of the subject are at his disposal; and instances enough were seen to prove that the lower order of people have no property, nor safety for their persons, but at the will of the chiefs to whom they respectively belong. When any one wants to speak with the king or chief, he advances and sits down before him with his legs across; which is a posture to which they are so much accustomed, that any other mode of sitting is disagreeable to them. To speak to the king standing would be accounted here as a striking mark of rudeness.

Though some of the more potent chiefs may vie with the king in point of actual possessions, they fall very short in rank and in certain marks of respect, which the collective body have agreed to pay the monarch. It is a particular privilege annexed to his sovereignty, not to be punctured nor circumcised, as all his subjects are. Whenever he walks out, every one whom he meets must sit down till he has passed. No one is allowed to be over his head; on the contrary all must come under his feet; for there cannot be a greater outward mark of submission than that which is paid to the sovereign and other great people of these islands by their inferiors. The method is this: the person who is to pay obeisance squats down before the chief, and bows the head to the sole of his foot; which, when he fits, is so placed that it cannot easily be come at; and having tapped or touched it with the under and upper side of the fingers of both hands, he rises up and retires. The hands, after this application of them to the chief's feet, are in some cases rendered useless for a time; for, until they be washed, they must not touch any kind of food. When the hands are in this state, they call it taboo rema. Taboo, in general, signifies "forbidden," and rema is their word for "hand." Their great men are fond of a singular piece of luxury; which is, to have women sit beside them all night, and beat on different parts of their body until they go to sleep; after which they relax a little of their labour, unless they appear likely to awake; in which case they redouble their drumming until they are again fast asleep.