C)2 Art. "VIL— A. Matsumiirn : 



In a village of Triik I was surprised to see a woman bathing 

 a child in a muddy pool, and letting it drink from the muddy- 

 water, apparently with indifference. The islanders do not hesitate 

 to take a bath by the roadside, and in muddy water as above 

 noted, probably because they have few streams (PI. X, fig. 1). 



2. Manners. — It would appear that a long sojourn is necessary 

 for a study of native manners, but constant attention even on a 

 limited journey will enable one to discover important racial 

 characteristics. As mentioned elsewhere, foreign elements have 

 been introduced into the attire and ornaments of the islanders 

 superseding native customs in some respects. Manners, on the 

 contrary, do not and cannot undergo a rapid change, this is the 

 reason why the study of manners occupies so important a place 

 in ethnographical researches. I failed, however, to observe any 

 points particularly remarkable in their manners during our cruise. 



The women in Truk and Jaluit sit somewhat like the Japa- 

 nese, however, not on their heels, but rather with their haunches 

 directly on the floor or ground, just like the natives of Tonga. 

 In these islands I failed to observe women sitting cross-legged, 

 though this is the custom in Samoa. But the men generally squat. 



In Jaluit, women are seen crouching by the roadside, but 

 women of Truk were seldom observed in this position. However, 

 in both islands, women were seen sitting to take a rest. In sleep- 

 ing, the natives lie on their sides or backs with their knees some- 

 what bent like the Japanese. 



3. Fortune-telling.— When visiting Truk, you will find bits of 

 plaiting made of leaves lying on the ground near the houses of 

 the natives. These are lots employed in fortune-telling. There are 

 two kinds of them in use. One consists of a palm leaf split into 

 pieces, some 8 mm. wide and from 12 to 13 cm. long, and tied 



