150 



Alt. VIT.— A. Matsnmnrfi: 



carving as injurious to morals. But it is only the innocent part 

 that is gone, the objectionable part remaining intact. For the 

 figure consisted of two parts, and the upper part which was a 

 separate carving, was affixed to the lower one carved on the gable 

 itself. It was perhaps ( asy to remove the upper part, but the 

 lowcsr part was spared from destruction, simply because it was in 

 all probability found difficult to destroy it. In spite of its perni- 

 cious effect on morals, the figure constitutes good material for our 

 study in the tattooing, as already mentioned, around the vulva and 

 on the lower limbs of women. Besides, we are told that a moral 

 significance, as stated below, attaches to the carving, which may 

 offset the objectionable aspect of the figure to some extent. 



There is in Palau an interesting and instructive tradition ex- 

 plaining why such a figure came to be carved on the gable of 

 the young men's club-house. The tradition as narrated by a chief 

 of the second rank at Koror is recorded through the courtesy of 

 Lieut. H. Adachi, of the Japanese Navy, stationed in Palau, as 



Fig. 6/. — riiotograpbic reprcxluction of a rubbing of tbe carving on a beam of a club-Loase,, 

 Koror, Pa\an. Sbowing cauoe sailing between two islitnds. 



follows : " Once upon a time there was a beautiful maiden, Jilokai 

 by name, of a good family in Palau. She was, however, so 

 wanton that her conduct gave much anxiety to her father who 



