314 AUSTRALASIAN AND POLYNESIAN 
by a man carrying a bunch of ripe bananas, which he distributes 
one at a time to the crowd of children and others who follow. 
On arrival at the bridegroom’s home, she takes off all her finery, 
which then becomes the property of the husband’s parents, and 
she presents him with the bow and arrows; a dish of food having 
been prepared, they both eat out of it. The day after, the woman’s 
head is shaven and a large feast is prepared and distributed to 
each Eramo. She is now a married woman, and does all the 
work of a married woman. 
Relations do not as a rule marry. They are polygamists, but 
only a few have more than one wife. When two or more 
wives, they all live in one house. Polygamy is not restricted to 
chiefs, 
The classification is from the father, and in the event of war 
children would join the father’s tribe. 
Sons and daughters share alike in land. A woman takes land 
with her, and dying without issue, the land would return to her 
own family, brothers or sisters. If there are children, they 
claim it. 
Widows, if they have children, remain with the husband’s friends ; 
if no children, they return to their own families. Should a widow 
again marry, the payment for her is very great, and goes to the 
first husband’s relatives. 
Orphans are well cared for by relatives of the father and 
mother ; after death of both parents they are divided. 
Women do all the cooking, and a great part of the fishing. 
Husband and wife plant, fetch wood, make sago, &e. 
As a rule the women are well treated; not many beat their 
wives. A husband beating his wife would have to bear the wrath 
of all her relatives. 
Sometimes a woman, after a quarrel, will leave her husband, and 
will remain with her relatives until fetched back by him. A 
woman leaving her husband takes all the children with her. 
THE TRIBE. 
There is one language, one tradition. There are several chiefs, 
and no distinction between them. Chieftainship is handed down, 
and if there are no sons the girls can take it. The chief is 
supposed to have plenty of pigs, and makes feasts, assisted by 
his friends. He is not supposed to fight, and does not carry 
warlike implements—only goes about with a net bag containing 
areca nuts, betel, pepper, and lime calabash. 
They have no councils. Each one does his own sweet will. 
Breach of custom is punished by the sufferer. Theft or any other 
crime is so also, Asa rule there is very little crime. When food 
is stolen all denounce it, and it may lead to serious quarrels. 
