MARITAL JEALOUSY 175 



unknown, and despite the fact that the stage of pure 

 motherright had been passed actual paternity was 

 neglected. The saturnalia hinted at but not described 

 by Ellis as occurring on the death of a chief indicate 

 the same carelessness. 1 It is true that the writer tells 

 us elsewhere that " adultery among the highest ranks 

 has been punished with death by decapitation," 2 but 

 he neglects to inform us what the definition of adultery 

 among the Sandwich Islanders was, or how often or 

 in what circumstances the punishment of decapitation 

 was inflicted. His expression indicates that it was 

 a rare event. Such vague statements cannot be held 

 to conflict with those I have previously quoted. It 

 need only be added that, as among the Maoris, " the 

 marriage-tie was loose, and the husband could dismiss 

 his wife on any occasion." 3 Whether the wife had 

 a corresponding right does not appear. 



In Tahiti, where another branch of this voluptuous 

 race was settled, antenuptial licence was common, and 

 fidelity to the marriage-bond was seldom maintained. 

 The union was dissolved, whenever either of the parties 

 desired it, to suit their inclinations or their con- 

 venience ; and though amongst the higher classes it 

 was allowed nominally to continue, the husband took 

 other wives and the wife other husbands. 4 A similar 

 account reaches us from Samoa. " Chastity was 

 ostensibly cultivated by both sexes ; but it was more a 

 name than a reality." From their childhood their 

 ears were familiar with the most obscene conversation ; 

 and as a whole family to some extent herded together 

 immorality was the natural and prevalent consequence. 



1 Ellis, Tour, 148. 2 Ibid. 401 (the italics are mine). 



3 Ibid, 414. 4 Id. Potyn. Res. i. 262, 273, 274. 



