PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 241 



unload the boat, did the best they could with one chap. 

 of them between their teeth, while their hands were vJSv 

 employed portioning the contents of the canoe into Feb. 

 small heaps. But even in this repast we were glad 

 to observe some indication of feeling in putting 

 the animal speedily out of torture by biting its 

 head in two, the only proof of humanity which they 

 manifested. In like manner, cleanliness was not 

 overlooked by them, for they carefully rinsed their 

 mouths after the disgusting meal. 



It appeared that the chief had three wives, and 

 that polygamy was permitted to an unlimited ex- 

 tent ; any man of the community, we were told, 

 might put away his wife whenever it was his pleasure 

 to do so, and take another, provided she were disen- 

 gaged. No ceremony takes place at the wedding ; 

 it being sufficient for a man to say to a woman, 

 " You shall be my wife ;" and she becomes so. 



The offspring of these unions seemed to be the ob- 

 jects of the only feelings of affection the male sex pos- 

 sessed, as there were certainly none bestowed on the 

 women. Indeed the situation of the females is much 

 to be pitied ; in no part of the world, probably, are 

 they treated more brutally. While their husbands 

 are indulging their lethargic disposition under the 

 shade of the cocoa-nut trees, making no effort toward 

 their own support, beyond that of eating when their 

 food is placed before them, the women are sent to 

 the reefs to wade over the sharp-pointed coral in 

 search of shell-fish, or to the woods to collect pan- 

 danus-nuts. We have seen them going out at day- 

 light on these pursuits, and returning quite fatigued 

 with their morning toil. In this state, instead of 

 enjoying a little repose on reaching their homes, they 



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