The whole operation is performed without the use of any metallic instrument.

'To fabricate one of their principal vessels with their tools is,' says Cook, 'as great a work as to build a British man of war with ours.' The fighting boats are sometimes more than seventy feet long, but not above three broad; but they are fastened in pairs, side by side, at the distance of about three feet; the head and stern rise in a semi-circular form, the latter to the height of seventeen or eighteen feet.

To build these boats, and the smaller kinds of canoes;--to build their houses, and finish the slight furniture they contain;--to fell, cleave, carve, and polish timber for various purposes;--and, in short, for every conversion of wood--the tools they make use of are the following: an adze of stone; a chisel or gouge of bone, generally that of a man's arm between the wrist and elbow; a rasp of coral; and the skin of a sting-ray, with coral sand as a file or polisher.
The persons of the Otaheitan men are in general tall, strong, well-limbed and finely shaped; equal in size to the largest of Europeans.

The women of superior rank are also above the middle stature of Europeans, but the inferior class are rather below it.

The complexion of the former class is that which we call a brunette, and the skin is most delicately smooth and soft.