LADRONE or MARIAN islands, a cluster of twelve islands lying in the Pacific ocean, in about 145° of east longitude, and between the 11th and 21st degree of north latitude. They were first discovered by Magellan, who sailed round the world through the straits which bear his name. He gave them the name of Ladrones islands, or the islands of Thieves, from the thievish disposition of the inhabitants. At the time these islands were discovered by the Europeans, the natives were totally unacquainted with any other country besides their own; and having no traditionary accounts of their own origin, they imagined that the author of their race was formed of a piece of the rock of Funa, one of their smallest islands. Many things looked upon by us as absolutely necessary to our existence, were utterly unknown to these people. They had no animals of any sort; and would not even have had any idea of them, had it not been for the birds; and even of them they had but one species, somewhat like the turtle dove, which they never killed for eating, but only tamed them, and taught them to speak. They were much astonished on seeing a horse, which a Spanish captain left among them in 1673, and could not for a long time be satisfied with admiring him. But what is more surprising and incredible in their history is, that they were utterly unacquainted with the element of fire, till Magellan, provoked by their repeated thefts, burned one of their villages. When they saw their wooden houses blazing, they first thought that the fire was a beast which fed upon the wood; and some of them who came too near, being burnt, the rest stood at a distance, lest they should be devoured or poisoned by the breathings of this terrible animal.

The inhabitants of the Ladrones are olive coloured, but not of such a deep dye as those of the Philippine islands; their stature is good, and their limbs well proportioned. Though their food consists entirely of fish, fruits, and roots, yet they are so fat, that strangers they appear swelled; but this does not render them less nimble and active. They often live to 100 years or more, yet retain the vigour and health of men of 50. The men go stark naked, but the women are covered. They are not ill looked, and take great care of their beauty, though their ideas on that subject are very different from ours. They love black teeth and white hair. Hence one of their principal occupations is to keep their teeth black by the help of certain