576 ABSENCE OF RELIGION 



In the Voyage of 1'Astrolabe, it is stated that the natives 

 of the Samoan and Solomon Islands, in the Pacific, had no 

 religion, and in the voyage of the Novara the same is said of 

 the Caroline Islanders. The Samoans " have neither moraes, 

 nor temples, nor altars, nor offerings, and consequently none 

 of the sanguinary rites, observed at the other groups. In 

 consequence of this the Samoans were considered an impious 

 race ; and their impiety became proverbial with the people of 

 Earotonga, for, when upbraiding a person who neglected the 

 worship of the gods, they would call him "a godless Samoan."* 

 On Damood Island, between Australia and New Guinea, Jukes 

 could find no "traces of any religious belief or observance."^ 

 Duradawan, a sepoy who lived some time with the Andaman 

 Islanders, maintained that they had no religion, and Dr. 

 Mouatt believes his statements to be correct. J Portman, who 

 lived so long with them, and studied them so lovingly, makes 

 the same statement as regards the native of the Lesser Anda- 

 mans. Some of the Australian tribes also are said to have 

 no religion. ] In the Pellew Islands, Wilson found no reli- 

 gious buildings, nor any sign of religion. 



Mr. Wallace, who had excellent opportunities for judging, 

 and whose merits as an observer no one can question, tells 

 us that among the people of Wanumbai, in the Aru Islands, 

 he could find no trace of a religion ;1F adding, however, that 

 he was but a short time among them. 



The Yenadies and the Villees, according to Dr. Shortt, are 

 entirely without any belief in a future state ;** and again, 

 Hooker tells us that the Lepchas of Northern India have no 



* Missionary Enterprises, p. 464. 



t Jukes, Voyage of the "Fly," IF The Malayan Archipelago, 



vol. i. p. 164. vol. ii. p. 280. 



Trans. Ethn. Soc. vol. ii. p. 45. ** Proceedings of Madras Go vern- 



J. Geog. Soc. Sep. 1888. ment, Revenue Department. May, 



|| Collins' English Colony in New 1864. 

 South Wales, p. 354. 



