148 PRIMITIVE PATERNITY 



in spite of the laxity between boys and girls such as 

 we have found elsewhere, female chastity is more 

 highly valued than is usual in matrilineal societies. 

 The islands, however, are not all alike in this respect 

 It is noteworthy that two of the worst are Ugi and San 

 Cristoval (two of the Solomon Islands) where uterine 

 has given way to agnatic descent. 1 



Infant betrothals are very common throughout the 

 islands among the higher ranks of society, and virginity 

 is probably preserved in such cases. Adultery was 

 very strictly punished, yet on several of the islands 

 compromise by payment was possible. On the other 

 hand, divorce is easy and common, and is effected at 

 the will of either party. Cases occur in the Banks 

 Islands where a husband "connives at his wife's 

 connection with another man. This is not counted 

 adultery because it is allowed ; " but it is thought 

 discreditable. The use of women given by way of 

 hospitality according to the custom already mentioned 

 would not of course be regarded as adultery for the 

 same reason. 2 On the Solomon Islands we are told 

 conjugal fidelity is usually preserved within the limits 

 of the same community, but the men of Santa Anna 

 exchange wives with those of San Cristoval for a time 

 and then take them back, restoring them to their 

 original position in the home. 3 In the Fiji Islands 

 "all the evils of the most licentious sensuality are 

 found," though it is fair to add that " voluntary breach 

 of the marriage contract is rare in comparison with 



1 Codrington, 21, 22, 27 sqq. y 235; F. Elton, /. A. I. xvii. 93, 

 95; Guppy, 43 ; R. Parkinson, Int. Arch. xi. 199. 



2 Codrington, 237, 243, 244, 246. 



3 Guppy, 43. 



