ANEITYUM, NEW HEBRIDES. 709 



food is usually given when the child (especially if a boy) is 

 weaned. Deformed or sickly children are just allowed to 

 g-row up as best they may ; nothing special is done to them, or 

 for them. Mother carries the child on her side, across the 

 haunches. Children are not, as a rule, well disciplined by 

 their parents, but Christian parents try to teach their children 

 to read the scriptures. Female children are not now betrothed 

 when young. 



Maturity. 



Females are mature at about 14 years of age, males from 

 16 to 18 years. 



Circumcision 



Is not now practised on Aneityum, but in former times the 

 ceremony was performed by the man or sorcerer whose office 

 it was by hereditary right. It was done when the lad was from 

 seven to ten years of age, with a bamboo knife. It was said 

 by the natives to increase the stature and improve the 

 physique of the individual. Food was always cooked by 

 others and brought to the lad during recovery, which might 

 be from one to three months. On complete recovery a 

 special fowl, lobster, or other fish was cooked and given to the 

 lad to eat. On this being received he was welcomed into the 

 tribe with great shouting and rejoicing — and had afterwards 

 the privilege of wearing his private member in a pocket or 

 wrapper of grass or other prepared material, whereas before 

 that he went about completely nude. 



Marriage 



Is usually arranged for by chiefs or heads of tribes. The 

 girl does not pass into charge of the husband until she reaches 

 maturity (or puberty). A feast is made when the formal 

 marriage takes place. They usually married within the tribe, 

 although not in blood relationship, yet the children of a 

 brother and sister may marry, while the children of two 

 sisters were looked on as brothers and sisters. Polygamy 

 was common in pre-christian days. In war, the tribes acted 

 in a body and had a common interest. Leading coast head- 

 lands usually divided the island into districts, of which there 

 were six, each governed by a high chief; also two inland 

 chiefs, who were in some measure subsidiary to the shore 

 chiefs — these were often at war with each other. Widows 

 were always strangled by the son, if old enough, or the 

 nearest relative. The widoAvs wished this, as they would, if 



