The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VI. Being the Second of the Third VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VI. Being the Second of the Third Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
Their colour we could never positively determine, as their bodies were
incrusted with paint and dirt; though, in particular cases, when these
were well rubbed off, the whiteness of the skin appeared almost to equal
that of Europeans, though rather of that pale effete cast which
distinguishes those of our southern nations. Their children, whose skins
had never been stained with paint, also equalled ours in whiteness.
During their youth, some of them have no disagreeable look, if compared
to the generality of the people; but this seems to be entirely owing to
the particular animation attending that period of life, for after
attaining a certain age, there is hardly any distinction. Upon the
whole, a very remarkable sameness seems to characterize the countenances
of the whole nation, a dull phlegmatic want of expression, with very
little variation, being strongly marked in all of them.
The women are nearly of the same size, colour, and form, with the men,
from whom it is not easy to distinguish them, as they possess no natural
delicacies sufficient to render their persons agreeable; and hardly any
one was seen, even amongst those who are in the prime of life, who had
the least pretensions to be called handsome.
Their common dress is a flaxen garment, or mantle, ornamented on the
upper edge by a narrow strip of fur, and at the latter edge, by fringes
or tassels. It passes under the left arm, and is tied over the right
shoulder by a string before and one behind, near its middle, by which
means both arms are free, and it hangs evenly, covering the left side,
but leaving the right open, except from the loose part of the edges
falling upon it, unless when the mantle is fastened by a girdle (of
coarse matting or woollen) round the waist, which is often done. Over
this, which reaches below the knees, is worn a small cloak of the same
substance, likewise fringed at the lower part. In shape this resembles a
round dish-cover, being quite close, except in the middle, where there
is a hole just large enough to admit the head, and then, resting upon
the shoulders, it covers the arms to the elbows, and the body as far as
the waist. Their head is covered with a cap of the figure of a truncated
cone, or like a flower-pot, made of fine matting, having the top
frequently ornamented with a round or pointed knob, or a bunch of
leathern tassels, and there is a string that passes under the chin to
prevent its blowing off.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account