Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition : during the years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842 . of whale-ships, wherethey earned good wages, and afterwards returned to the island withsome property; he said that Rotuma contained very many who was designated as the high chief, was a pleasing, handsomeyoung man, and appeared modest and gentle in his thought he resembled in physiognomy our American Indians,but I did not myself remark it. The natives of Tonga, in habits, customs, looks, and generalappearance, are so like the Samoans, that we were greatly struckwith t
Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition : during the years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842 . of whale-ships, wherethey earned good wages, and afterwards returned to the island withsome property; he said that Rotuma contained very many who was designated as the high chief, was a pleasing, handsomeyoung man, and appeared modest and gentle in his thought he resembled in physiognomy our American Indians,but I did not myself remark it. The natives of Tonga, in habits, customs, looks, and generalappearance, are so like the Samoans, that we were greatly struckwith the resemblance; indeed, in writing of Samoa, I mentioned thatmany things have been derived from Tonga, particularly their tapacovering from the waist downwards, called siapo. The two racesalso agree in having no covering for the head, and the femalesresemble each other. The missionaries, through the kings ordinance,have caused the females to clothe themselves up to the neck with thepareu; but this is only conformed to before the missionaries, for weas frequently saw it worn in the native NATIVE OF TONGA. In colour the Tongese are a little lighter than the Samoans, andthe young children are almost if not quite white. As they grow up,they are left, both males and females, to run about in a state ofnature, with their hair cropped close, except a small curly lock overeach ear. This is a practice which has before been spoken of, as TONGATABOO. 27 prevalent among the Samoans. Indeed, the similarity between theappearance of the children in the two groups is such, that theymight be mistaken for each other. A larger proportion of fine-looking people is seldom to be seen, in any portion of the globe;they are a shade lighter than any of the other islanders; theircountenances are generally of the European cast; they are tall andwell made; and their muscles are well developed. We had anopportunity of contrasting their physical characters with those ofseveral other natives, and par
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade184, booksubjectvoyagesaroundtheworld
