99 "TTransactions.— Miscellaneous. 
marriage had been agreed upon it usually took place in the largest house 
in the settlement, all the people being assembled to partake of the store of 
food provided for the occasion. A bed of flax leaves mixed with feathers 
was made in the centre of the house, and after the food had been consumed 
the couple were placed on the bed, in the centre of the house, a ring made from 
the fibre of some plant, of which, however, my son could not ascertain the 
name, being placed round them. The song of marriage was then sung by 
ihe assembled people, who immediately afterwards retired, leaving the 
newly-married couple in the house. The females married very early, the 
reason given being that it was to prevent fornication. If a man were 
convicted of the seduction of an unmarried woman he was prohibited ever 
after from marrying a virgin. Adultery was severely punished, but not 
with death, beating until blood was drawn being the usual thing. 
Children were baptized between the ages of two and three years, and the 
ceremony bears a striking resemblance to that performed amongst the 
Maoris. The people of the settlement being assembled at the appointed 
time and place, the child was brought forth by the priest, and placed in the 
arms ofa chief member of the tribe. If the child's father held a high 
position in the tribe, a tree was at the same time planted, the growth of 
which was to be as the growth of the child. During the planting of this 
tree an incantation song was sung by the priest. This over, the person 
holding the child advanced towards the priest, who then poured water over 
it, another incantation song being then sung. A name was then given to 
the child, and the assembled people at once proceeded to a great feast, 
which concluded the ceremony. The resemblance in all this to the 
baptismal ceremony of the Maoris, so well described in Mr. John White’s 
lectures on their manners and customs, is very apparent. 
In the Rev. Mr. Gill’s * Myths and Songs from the South Pacific " 
(already alluded to), the following is the account given of the naming of 
children amongst the islanders of the Hervey Group :— 
“ At convenient intervals, the principal King of Mangaia, as high priest 
of all the gods, assisted by the priest of Motoro, summoned the young 
people to their various family maraes, to be publicly ‘named.’ Some 
might be verging on manhood or womanhood, whilst others were scarcely 
able to walk. Standing in a half circle, two or three deep, the operator 
dipped a few leaves of a beautiful species of myrtle (maire) in the sacred 
stream flowing past the marae, and sprinkled the assembly ; all the while 
reciting a song or prayer to the particular god at whose shrine they were 
worshipping, and who was supposed to be the special protector of those 
present. At certain pauses in the song, the King, as ‘ pontifex maximus,’ 
gently tapped each youngster two or three times on the head or shoulders, 
