"All the natives of the South Sea islands are great swimmers. Both men, women and children could almost be called amphibians, because they spend a good portion of their day swimming, diving, bathing and doing all those and similar sports in the midst of the breakers and the surging sea rolling in over the coral banks. The more the sea is heaving, the more the islander feels at home in this his right element. 

These islanders seem to be very fond of children, especially their neighbours, which they until quite recently did not hesitate to eat. That in addition to the repulsive murder of their own children, especially as regards girls, results in a quite considerable reduction in the number of the children. But otherwise the children are as merry and free from sorrow as their parents.

They learn to swim almost as soon as they begin to walk. The children are very amused by swinging and by sending up paper kites. They also have a rather peculiar game, which consists of keeping their eyes wide open with the help of a stiff straw of grass pushing the eye-lids apart." 

(My local newspaper, Sundsvalls Tidning, at a date I haven't noted down published this little clipping from an old book. Translation into English, my own.)