716 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



to lie around aud gossip, to smoke, to sit and " moon " over the industry, 

 the greatness, and the monuments of liis ancestors, the degeneracy and 

 decadence of his race, perhaps, and his own utter and ineradicable 

 worthlessness individually. Natural covetousness and desire for the 

 possession of lucre may tempt him to serve the white man for a time, 

 but he soon tires of his work, which speedily becomes irksome to him. 

 And whilehe mayexertliimself a tritie occasionally, in theway of fishing, 

 or in the cultivation of an 8 bj^ 10 patch of sugar cane, taro, and sweet 

 potato, it is only as a matter of necessity, to keep body and soul together, 

 and he infinitely prefers idleness and the enjoyment of his dolce far 

 niente. 



Intoxicating drinks of any descriiition, even kava, so common in the 

 islands to tbe westward, are unknown to these people, and neither do 

 Mr. Salmon, or the other foreign residents, keep any liquors in their 

 possession. While, therefore, it is true that here, as elsewhere among 

 uncivilized peoples, contact with the European has been attended by 

 their gradual extinction, it can not be said that all the usual factors 

 obtain in this instance, since neither the venereal poison nor intoxicants 

 exist on the island. Consequently, these can not be assigned as causes 

 of the decadence of the Eai)a Nuiis. Deportation, forced and voluntary, 

 smallpox, and customs, elsewhere mentioned in this paper, will explain 

 their gradual extinction, in part, at least, while the fact remains that 

 their seemingly inevitable destiny was vastly accelerated when the 

 white man set foot upon their mysterious, mid-ocean island. 



The rite of circumcision, so common in the other islands, is unknown 

 here, nor does their language possess an equivalent word. 



As may be inferred from the i)reponderance of the male over the 

 female portion of the community the latter are in demand, and the sup- 

 ply not being equal to it, the women are a source of great solicitude ; much 

 consideration is shown thein ; they are fairly well taken care of, and 

 are treated, generally, with kindness, not to say atiection. Polygamy, 

 under the circumstances, does not, of course, exist and celibacy, it may 

 be said, only from necessity, since there are not enough females. 



While it can not be truthfully claimed that polyandry, in the strict 

 acceptation of the term, obtains among them, they have a custom which 

 very nearly approaches that practice, as will appear presently. 



At the present day the ceremonies of the church, measurablj^ at 

 least, govern their marriages; nevertheless the ancient custom still 

 prevails, to a considerable extent, and in a few words it is this: When 

 a boy arrives at the age of, say 12 years, his father looks about him for 

 a suitable life- companion, of the opposite sex, for the young hopeful. 

 Having discovered one to his liking the father proceeds to interview 

 the parents of the damsel, who is perhaps of the same age, or more 

 likely younger than her prospective lord, declares his intentions matri- 

 monial and negotiations are then entered into. After a due amount of 

 haggling as to the value of the girl, during which the parents of the 



