THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



over their daughter, and check any levity 

 on her part. Proposals follow ere long, 

 and her friends, who have subscribed towards 

 the expense of the tattooing, look forward 

 to repayment when she gets a husband. 

 The higher her rank the more her parents 

 demand of a suitor; consequently a needy 

 young man often has to wait a long time 

 for a wife as in some other places. But 

 if a swain is known to have " expecta- 

 tions," he may pay down a part of the 

 purchase-money, and claim the girl as his 

 fiancee. Chiefs' daughters seldom marry 

 early; their fathers expect too much. Oc- 

 casionally it happens that the daughter of 

 a chief remains in single blessedness until 

 the death of her father, when she may be 

 bought " for an old song," as the saying 

 is, by some middle-aged widower, or an 

 impecunious suitor who has been waiting for 

 years. When a young girl is betrothed, 

 and her future husband has paid the 

 amount in full, she goes to live with his 

 mother until the time comes when she may 

 become his wife. Soon after the purchase 

 has been made her parents give a feast 

 to those who have generously subscribed 

 towards the tattooing; this is followed by another feast, given by the bridegroom's parents, 

 and there are no other ceremonies, either at betrothals or marriages. 



In a small island of this group, known as Florida Island, marriage customs are somewhat 

 different. The money is paid to the girl's female relations. The act of giving away the 

 bride is rather curious; she is lifted off the ground, and carried out of the house on the 

 back of one of the women, who delivers her to the youth's father. For two or three months 

 after this she stays in the house of her future father-in-law, until the necessary presents of 

 pigs and food arrive. Not till then can the wedding be celebrated. And here we meet 

 with another curious custom. During the morning of the feast the boys of the village 

 harass the bride's relations by playfully shooting arrows at them. So skilful is their practice 

 that they can safely send arrows whizzing past the ears of a guest, over his head, beneath his 

 legs, or even through his hair. These delicate attentions, however, become a positive 

 nuisance; and after many forcible expressions of disgust the men gladly purchase immunity 

 from further hair breadth escapes by paying ransom. In the large island of Malauta betrothed 

 children pay frequent visits at the homes of their parents, and thus become well acquainted 

 with one another. Consequently, when the wedding day comes, the girl shows none of that 

 reluctance so often displayed elsewhere. 



The Solomon Islanders are very fond of dancing, though they do not carry the art to 

 such a state of perfection as do the people of the New Hebrides, farther south. However, they 

 make it a professional business, on the principle that the greatest delight is to watch other 

 people dance. The chief and his advisers choose the dance, and select the dancers out of a 

 large number of aspirants. Then comes the rehearsal, which sometimes lasts for a year or 

 more. We will only attempt to describe one of their dances, the souruka, and that only 

 briefly. Thirty-six dancers are required, who take up their position in a wedge-like phalanx 

 four ranks of fours, four of threes, and four of twos, one rank behind the other; the big 



My permission of Messm. MansM & Co. 



A MAN OF THE SOLOMON ISLANDS. 



