In nearly all the South Sea islands, it is the custom to make an incision in the lobe of each ear, into which they introduce large rolls of leaves, sometimes covered with a very thin plate of tortoise shell, cylindrical pieces of ivory three inches long, or bits of wood, from which they suspend shells, or the teeth of fishes. Sometimes these heavy ornaments distend the ears so much, that the lobes nearly touch the shoulders; and sometimes they are torn asunder, and hang in two slips. These people are exceedingly fond of flowers, which they wear sometimes inserted in the upper edge of the ear, sometimes thrust through the cartilage of the nose, and sometimes woven in beautiful garlands, around the head or the neck. They place peculiar value on necklaces of whale’s teeth, strung in such a manner that the largest come in front, while the others gradually decrease in size toward the back of the neck. When the string is drawn, the pointed extremities diverge, and form a handsome contrast with their dark brown skins. Both sexes are about equally fond of finery. The men of the South Sea islands consider profuse tattooing an indication of rank; and some of them appear to be covered with a permanent suit of embroidery from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot. The women are much less addicted to this practice. Some have their hands tattooed, like embroidered gloves; the feet and ankles of others are stained to resemble ornamented half-boots; while others have merely a few dots on the tip of the tongue, or the palm of the hand. In the Feejee islands only the women are tattooed, while the men are not. The hair of the South Sea islanders is remarkably black, glossy, and beautiful. Some have attributed this to the circumstance of their being so much in the salt water; and others have supposed it might be owing to the constant use of cocoa-nut oil. In some islands they rub the hair frequently with lemon-juice, which is said to give it a peculiar lustre. In many places the natural beauty of their tresses is concealed by an artificial color, generally brown or purple, but in a few instances of a deep orange hue. In the Sandwich islands several women have been seen, with hair stained rose-color; these women cut their hair short, comb it back in front, and plaster it with a kind of lime made of burnt shells, so that there is always a white circle round the forehead, contrasting strongly with their dark skins. In the Feejee islands they likewise powder the hair with ashes of the bread-fruit leaf, or stiffen it with pulverized lime. But generally, throughout these islands, they wear the hair long and smooth, tied up behind in a neat and tasteful manner, or suffered to float gracefully over the shoulders. No small degree of coquetry is shown in playing with it, and throwing it out upon the wind.