INHABITANTS OF THE TOGGY ISLANDS. 8/ 



Their chiefs are but little diitinguifhed from the 

 community, either by authority or by property, their 

 pre-eminence being chiefly difplayed at public enter- 

 tainments, of which they do the honours. They have 

 no judicial powers: all difputes are lettled, and crimes 

 adjudged, by a meeting of the whole village. 



Inheritance is by male defcent ; the houfe or 

 plantation, the weapons and tools of the father, pafs to 

 his male children. Theft, when to a conliderable 

 amount, and the criminal is incapable of making refti- 

 tution, is liable to be punillied by death. 



Murder is punifhable by retaliation ; the mur- 

 derer is delivered to the relations of the deceafed, 

 who may put him to death. I v;as however informed 

 thefe crimes are very rare. 



In marriages, the matter is fettled between the pa- 

 rents of the young perfons, and when agreed upon, the 

 young man goes to the houfe of the bride, and takes 

 her home ; on this occalion a hog is generally killed^ 

 and a feaft made. Polygamy is not allowed. 



In cafes of adultery, where the wife is the offender, 

 the mjured hulband has a right to leize the effedls of 

 the paramour, and fometimes punillies his wife by cm- 

 ting off her hair. When the hulband offends, the 

 wite has a right to quit him, and to return to her pa- 

 rent's houfe ; but in this flate of feparation fhe is not 

 allov/ed to marry another ; however, in. both thefe 

 cafes, the matter is generally made up, and the parties 

 reconciled ; and we were informed that inflances of 

 their occurrence were very unfrequent. Simple forni- . 

 cation betv/een unmarried perfons is neither a crime 

 nor a difgrace : and a young woman is rather 

 liked the better, and more delired in marriage, for 



F 4 having 



