TE PITO TE HENUA OR EASTER ISLAND. 719 



rial, printed or plain, for the women. Shoes are worn on only special 

 occasions of ceremony, as, for example, during our visit. On their heads 

 both sexes alike wear hats, the material of which is either bulrushes or 

 long, slender leaves, torn into narrow strips, braided aod then sewn 

 together spirally. In making these they are far behind other islanders, 

 the Tahitians more especially, attributable mainly, however, to the want 

 of prowler material rather than to the lat^k of intelligence. 



Crimes of any sort, but especially the graver ones, are of great 

 rarity, and murder, at the present day, unknown. Petty thieving is 

 common, is considered a venial ofl'ense, and the injured party seeks 

 redress by stealing in kind, if possible, but in any event, stealing from 

 the thief. There are no punishments, so called. Mr. Salmon, who is 

 guide, ijhilosopher, and friend to these peopie, unites in his person (and 

 being a giant in stature, he can well contain them) the duties of referee, 

 arbiter, judge. They entertain the greatest respect for him; evince 

 the utmost affection j look up to him as their master; go to him with 

 all their troubles; refer to him all their disputes and grievances. His 

 word is law, and his decisions final and undisputed. 



There is a schoolhouse in which the people are taught from books 

 translated into Eapa Nui language by the priests formerly here, and 

 most of the natives can read and write. The functions of pedagogue 

 are i^erformed, after a fashion, by Pakomeo, the survivor of the Peruvian 

 captives, who is also a preacher among them and conducts the services 

 at the little church. The form of salutation on meeting is kohomai, 

 " come to me." The reply, koe, which means '^ thou," you, yourself. 

 In Tahiti, Society Islands, and Karotonga it is, la-ora-na, " may you 

 live in God." In the Samoau group, kalofa, " love to you" and tofa, 

 "may you sleep." 



With regard to the burial rites, it may be stated that no particular 

 resi^ectis showu persons of rank while living; still less do they receive 

 any special funeral ceremonies when dead. All are treated alike in this 

 regard, on the principle, jiresumably, that death levels all. The period 

 of mourning extends over three days, and the rites are simple enough. 

 Nowadays the service of the church is usually invoked. The body is 

 carried out of the house and removed to some distance, either in the 

 open plain, or to one of the image platforms, or into a cave, where it is 

 exposed to sun and air (incidentally, it may be mentioned, also to 

 predatory rats and cats in a semiwild state, which roam the island in 

 large numbers, the former especially) until either dry, decomposed, or 

 partially devoured. In the caves the remains are then shoved into an 

 out-of-the-way corner and walled in with loose stones. At the platforms 

 they may be laid away under a gigantic i)rostrate stone image, or placed 

 in an excavation, either in the face or floor of the platform, or simply 

 put in a convenient spot and covered up with stones. On the plains a 

 circular conical cairn, truncated at top, 6 to 8 feet high, and built of 

 loose bowlders, is frequently erected over the remains. Often the bones 



