704 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION G. 



Additional information about the natives of Malekula, 

 New Hebrides : T. Watt Leggatt, Missionary : — 



Birth and Childhood. 



The natives of Port Sandwich hind the head of the child 

 with ropes of plaited bark to elongate the head. This is not 

 done any further north. 



Suckling is continued for about three years. 



Abortion is often practised by the women, as they do not 

 wish to be troubled with the rearing of children ; it is also 

 caused by carrying heavy loads, climbing cocoanut trees, or 

 eating certain herbs. 



I know of only one case of infanticide. A woman gave 

 birth to a female child and immediately buried it under the 

 floor of her hut. She had sons previously, but this was her 

 first daughter. 



As far as I can learn, there is no such thing as hetrothal. 

 Girls are married when about six or eight years of age. 



Circumcision is performed usually Avhen the boy is from 

 three to five years of age. I have, however, seen some boys 

 of 15 or 16, from inland tribes, not circumcised. Until 

 circumcision takes place they run naked ; even those lads 

 were absolutely nude. 



I have not seen circumcision performed, but the natives 

 describe it as follows : — The boy is laid on a mat and held 

 down by some men, while one with a sharp bamboo makes a 

 slit downwards in the foreskin, and then cuts it round. 

 There is no special operator, any man may do it. The 

 operator is presented with a mat, and a huge pudding of yam 

 or bananas (nelougk) is made for the others. The boy is 

 kept in the " amil " or men's house for 10 days, and his food 

 brought to him. He is not allowed to see women, or women 

 to see him during that time. When he has recovered, the 

 penis is wrapped in a strip of banana leaf, which is doubled 

 over a little belt and so held up. It is somewhat difficult to 

 get reasons for anything from natives : that their fathers, 

 asimagk tni, " the men of old," did so, seems to be quite 

 sufficient for them. Down in the southern islands they say 

 that if circumcision is not done, the lads will not grow tall 

 and strong. Here they seem to say tliat it is a sine qua non 

 to marriage. 



I am not sufficiently acquainted with their ceremonies of 

 initiation to be able to describe them . Even after circumcision 

 there seems to be little restriction placed on the boys. They 



