1841.] dress. 407 



who arc obliged to work for him, and the latter cannot marry 

 without his consent. 



Most of the inhabitants go entirely naked, with the excep- 

 tion of a conical cap of braided pandanus leaves on thai* heads, 

 and the remainder have very little clothing. Among the men 

 this consists of a maro, covering merely a part of the back 

 and abdomen, and a small oblong mat with a slit in the centre, 

 which is put on over the head like a poncho. The appropri- 

 ate dress of the women is called iriri, and consists of a fine 

 and beautiful fringe made of the softest cocoa-nut leaves split 

 into narrow strips; it is about a foot in width, and is dipped 

 in cocoa-nut oil to render it perfectly flexible ; it is also dyed 

 and perfumed, and is often quite ornamental, though com- 

 monly worn so high up on the abdomen, like the maro of the 

 men, that it affords but little concealment to the person. Of 

 ornaments both sexes are very fond. They often wear a white 

 ovula shell attached to a wreath about the neck, made of the 

 pith of the scsevola, and hanging down over the bosom. In 

 the lobes of their ears they insert shells and strings of leaves. 

 They have also necklaces of beads and shells, of shark's teeth 

 and small bones, and of human teeth or hair. Their beads 

 are made of the cocoa-nut and shell. Girdles of hair are like- 

 wise worn about their bodies. Tattooing, too, is freneral 

 among the higher classes, but not permitted to slaves; it is 

 considered essential, in order to enable the spirit after death 

 to be happy in Elysium, and is performed by professional 

 operators; the ornaments usually consist of short, oblique 

 lines, in parallel and perpendicular rows, at greater or less 

 distances apart, descending from the neck as low as the knees, 

 and sometimes to the ankles. The women are tattooed in the 

 same manner, but not so much, and they have frequently a 

 circle of spots surrounding the navel. The men do not shave 

 off their beards and moustaches, but they are not generally 

 of very luxuriant growth. 



War is the favorite occupation of the inhabitants of the 

 southern islands. They have weapons both of offence and 

 defence. The former consist, of spears, clubs, and swords. 



