MICRONESIA. 77 



intermarry, but the rank of the chiefs, and the succession to authority, 

 are regulated according to a very intricate system, which has evi- 

 dently been the result of design and study. Of this we shall have 

 occasion to give some examples. 



5. The religion of the Micronesians carries us at once to Eastern 

 Asia. It is the worship of the spirits of their ancestors. They are 

 called at the Ladrones, aniti, at the Kingsmills, anti, at the Mul- 

 graves, emit and anis, at Banabe, hani or ani, at Falalou, hano, &c. 

 Probably the yaris of Lord North's Island, signifying divinity, is the 

 same word, as the change of n to r is universal in these dialects. 

 They have neither temples, images, nor sacrifices. Their worship 

 consists merely in praying and performing certain ceremonies, 

 among others the offering of a portion of their food to the spirits. It 

 does not appear that a real tabu-system exists on any of the groups. 

 Voyagers have found words signifying sacred or forbidden, which 

 they have assimilated with the Polynesian tabu, but they give us no 

 hint of a code of laws and social regulations deriving their validity 

 from a religious sanction. There is certainly nothing of the kind in 

 the Kingsmill Group. 



On the whole, we may venture to say that the semi-civilization of 

 the Polynesians has been attained by bringing to perfection the rude 

 arts and institutions natural to the savage state ; while that of the 

 Micronesians has resulted from simplifying, and adapting to more 

 restricted circumstances, the inventions and usages of civilization. 



We now proceed to notice some of the single groups and islands, 

 concerning whose inhabitants we have it in our power to give some 

 information. 



TOBI, OR LORD NORTH'S ISLAND. 



This island, which forms the southwestern extremity of the Micro- 

 nesian range, is situated in about latitude 3 2' N., and longitude 

 131 4' E. It is a small, low islet, about three miles in circumfe- 

 rence, with a population of between three and four hundred souls. 

 Our information concerning it is derived from an American, by name 

 Horace Holden, who, with eleven companions, after suffering ship- 

 wreck, reached the island in a boat, and was taken captive by the 

 natives. He was detained by them two years, from December 6, 

 1832, to November 27, 1834, when he made his escape and returned 

 to America, where he published, in a small volume, an interesting 



20 



