SOCIETY OF THE UNIVERSITY OP ABERDEEN. 15 



In the communities there are several grades or castes, and a man's 

 influence depends mainly on his rank. Each grade has generally a dis- 

 tinctive mark by which its members are recognised even in islands 

 where their language is unintelligible. The members of different 

 grades are strictly kept from intermarriage. A man may, however, be 

 raised in grade by the command of the chief or the consent of the 

 whole tribe. The ceremony accompanying this promotion is generally 

 performed at midnight, during full moon, and near a sacred spot which 

 no one but a priest may occupy. There is feasting and dancing also to 

 the music of drums and singing. 



Cannibalism used to be universally practised throughout the 

 group of islands, and after every fight the bodies of the slain were 

 eaten. 



Some of the religious beliefs are very curious. The spirits of de- 

 parted chiefs or great heroes were supposed to be embodied in certain 

 stones, animals, trees, or carved images representing human beings or 

 sacred animals, and these objects are held in the greatest veneration. 

 There is a kind of priesthood of sacred men, to whom great power is 

 attributed, and who alone have access to the idols of the tribe and to 

 the holy places. Although they invoke the help of their gods in 

 warfare their chief religious duty seems to lie in the task of appeasing 

 their wrath, and this is accomplished by means of human sacrifices. 

 No great undertaking is commenced, no ceremony of any kind is 

 considered complete without the sacrifice of at least half a dozen 

 human beings. 



All have a firm belief in sorcery. When the aid of sorcery is 

 invoked for the purpose of taking vengeance on an enemy, some article 

 of food or clothing belonging to the intended victim is brought to one 

 of the sacred men, who calls on the gods to carry out the indicated 

 punishment. 



At every feast there is a great deal of talking done by the chiefs, 

 and before the food is divided a great dance is held. Men and women 

 are all gaily decorated with paints and feathers. The men dance in an 

 inner circle and the women form a circle outside of them, and certain 



