THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 401 



it is certain, that the bulk of the people fatisfied themfelves '777- 



•With one wife. The Chiefs, however, have, commonly, ' , ' 



feveral women * ; though fome of us were of opinion, 

 that there was only one that was looked upon as the miflrefs 

 of the family. 



As female chaftity, at firfl; fight, feemed to be held in no 

 great eftimation, we expe6ted to have found frequent 

 breaches of their conjugal fidelity ; but we did them great 

 injuflice. I do not know that a fingle infiance happened 

 during our whole flay f . Neither are thofe of the better 

 fort, that are unmarried, more free of their favours. It is 

 true, there was no want of thofe of a diiFerent charadler ; 

 and, perhaps, fuch are more frequently met v^^ith here, in 

 proportion to the number of people, than in many other 

 countries. But it appeared to me, that the moft, if not all 

 of them, were of the loweft clafs ; and fuch of them as per- 

 mitted familiarities to our people, were proflitutes by pro- 

 feflion. 



Nothing can be a greater proof of the humanity of thefe 

 people, than the concern they fhew for the dead J. To ufe 

 a common expreflion, their mourning is not in words but 

 deeds. For, befides the looge mentioned before, and burnt 

 circles and fears, they beat the teeth with flones, ftrike a 

 Ihark's tooth into the head until the blood flows in flreams, 

 and thruft fpears into the inner part of the thigh, into their 



* Cantova fays of his Caroline iflanders, " La pluralite des femmcs eft non 

 " feulement permife a tous ces infulaires, elle eft encore une marque d'honneur & 

 " de diftindlion. Le Tamole de I'ille d'Huogoleu en a neuf." 



Lettres Edif antes bf Curieufes, Tom. xv. p. 310. 



^ At the Caroline Iflands, " lis ont horreur de I'adultere, comme d'une grand 

 " peche." Ih'id. Tom. xv. p. 310. 



:•: Flow the inhabitants of the Caroline Iflands exprefs their grief on fuch occa- 

 fions, may be feen. Ibid, Tom. xv, p. 308. ' 



Vol. I. 3 F fides 



