MICRONESIA. 83 



taigne). There is reason to believe that these two races are found in 

 conjunction on other groups of Micronesia, (especially the large 

 elevated cluster of Hogoleu,) while on some, as Namoulouk, Nuguor, 

 and the southern Kingsmill Islands, an amalgamation seems to have 

 taken place. 



The three classes are called, according to O'Connell, Moonjobs 

 (Mundjab), Jerejohs, (Tsheridjo) and Nigurts (Naikat). The general 

 term aroche (arotg), was applied to the first two; it may be translated 

 gentleman or freeman. These two classes rarely intermarry with one 

 another, and never with the third. The distinction of caste is main- 

 tained with great strictness ; even in battle, a person of one class 

 never attacks one of another, so that, says O'Connell, " it is like the 

 encounter of three distinct parties." 



All the land in the group is parcelled out into estates, which are 

 the property of the chiefs and freemen. The serfs are considered as 

 affixed to the soil. These estates are never alienated, and pass only 

 by succession ; but this succession is not directly hereditary. The 

 system of descent, both of titles and property, is very intricate and 

 difficult to understand. According to the account received from Mr. 

 Punchard, every chief has a distinguishing title, besides his own 

 proper appellation. The highest rank in the two tribes of Matalalln 

 and t7 is Ishipau, who is usually called by foreigners the king ; then 

 follow, in the line of succession, Wadjai, Tak, Notsh, Nanoa, and 

 others still lower. Before a chief can become Ishipau he must rise 

 through all these grades or offices, and, of course, there is only one 

 in each tribe holding each of these titles. There are other offices or 

 dignities, the holders of which can never rise to be Ishipau; but 

 these, also, have their inferior grades in regular succession. One of 

 these is Ndnigin, a kind of high priest of the Kiti tribe. The son of 

 a chief is never a chief; this distinction is derived from a certain class 

 of women, called li 'rotsh (noble women), who ? by law, can only 

 marry common men; their rank determines that of the offspring. 

 This account differs, in some particulars, from that given by O'Con- 

 nell, but agrees with it in the main.* 



Besides the divisions of caste and office, there is another of tribes, 

 of which there are five, the Matalalin, who occupy the east or 



* See his Narrative, p. 126. It is curious that three able and experienced observers, 

 Lessou, D'Urville, and Liitke, in describing the system of rank and caste which prevails 

 at Ualau, differ so widely from one another, that their accounts cannot be reconciled. 



