RACES BIBLIOGRAPHY COMMITTEE. 333) 
At Rarotonga, and some other islands, men plant and bring. 
home the “taro,” but the women weave mats and baskets. 
After all, despite the horny hands of Mangaian women, their’ 
lives are pleasant, so long as Christianity secures immunity from: 
the cruel bloodshed of heathen times. Even in the old time they’ 
enjoyed their old dances and semi-dramatic performances. In. 
general, it was the young women and girls who took part in these 
diversions, the middle-aged prompting or clapping hands or: 
looking after the feast to follow. 
The model Rarotongan warrior never (like other natives), 
allowed his wife to s/eep on his arm, lest his spirit should become: 
enervated. After slaying a foe, he became “tapu,” so that he- 
might, for a certain period, only kiss his wife and children. On 
no account might he cohabit with his wife until the “tapu” had 
been removed. During this period of “tapu,” all the warriors of 
the same tribe lived together, receiving immense presents of food. 
When a sufficient interval had elapsed, in preparation for the 
removal of the “ tapu,” they would go unitedly to fish. If, while 
fishing, a warrior happened to be bitten by an “aa” (conger eel), 
or get his legs clasped by an octopus, he regarded this as a sure 
presage of a violent death. If he, that day, caught only a 
miserable fish, such as the poisonous “no’u,” it plainly indicated 
that in his next battle he would only kill a wretched sort of 
person, not a chief or a warrior. On the other hand, if he caught 
a really fine fish, it was evident that he would hereafter conquer: 
and kill some person of distinction, and thus enhance the fame of. 
his tribe ! 
THE TRIBE. 
Descent in the ma/e line from a common ancestor (tama tane)) 
constitutes the tribe. Descendants in the female line (tama 
vaine) may be adopted into the tribe, with the consent of the: 
elders, after bathing in a sacred stream in order to wash off the 
taint of old slave or antagonistic associations. (See my “Historical 
Sketches of Savage Life,” pp. 136-9). In general, slaves married 
into the victorious clans, were content to follow its fortunes ; but 
there were numerous exceptions to this rule. When dying, 
mothers of rank would commend their children to the chiefs of 
their own tribe, the slave-fathers having no voice whatever 
concerning their own offspring. The filial instinct, however, 
often led these children to endeavour to restore the fallen fortunes 
of the father’s conquered clan. Usually, the question of tribe 
was decided by the divinity or divinities named at the severance 
of the funis umbilicus. But all the worshippers of Tané, with its 
numerous modifications, were supposed to form but one tribe 
In every case there must be oneness of origin (on the maternal if 
not on the paternal side), even in cases of adoption. When a 
