H 



U 



M 



A 



N 



S 



P 



E 



C 



I 



E 



S. 



for 



handfome acknowledgement 



b 



he 



IS 



flill at liberty 



^01 



ff. MANNERS 

 ^^ COMPARED 



divorce the wife upon fuch occalions. The wife is likewfe per- 

 mitted to feparate herfelf from her hufband upon any flight offence, 

 difpleafure or difguft. One curious cuflom however prevails among 

 them, according to which a man marries the wife of his deceafed 

 brother, in cafe he has left no children to inherit ; this cufl:om, 



r 



as far as we know, is no where pradlifed among the inhabitants of 

 the iflands which we had occafion to vifit. The common people are 

 contented with one wife, though it be not unlawful to marry more 



w 



than one, and with the chiefs and nobles it is looked upon as a 

 mark of rank to have more than one wife ; nay, the King of the 

 diftridt of CiTTAC reiiding at the ifleof HuoGOLEU or Torres, 



has 



nine wives. 



Among themfelves they keep fl:rid:ly honeft, 

 and pilfer only from ilrangers -, they covet iron above, all things, 



^ 



and every one who obtains fome, either by purchafe from Europeans, 

 from fhipwrecks, or by ftealth, is obliged to bring it to the chiefs 



who orders fuch tools to be made of 



the lize and form of 



iron will beil admit, and then his fubjeds hire them for their own 



+ 



ufe at a certain price. 



Their benevolent and friendly difpofition gives unity and friend- 



ihip to their focieties; their lively and joyful temper prompts 

 them to mirth and all kinds of fports, and the enjoyment of 

 pleafure; they are amazingly addided to laughing, and are fond of 



4H 



little 



