88 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF 



nothing to disturb their peace, which has continued unbroken for 

 upwards of a century. They have from this cause become naturally 

 indolent; and their fullest enjoyment is in taking their ease. Tlieir 

 colour is a shade lighter than that of the natives of the other islands of 

 this group; their stature taller, and their whole frame much larger; 

 their limbs are full and well rounded ; their bodies as smooth as a 

 child's ; their features oval, and more regular and delicate than those 

 of the natives of the southern islands of the same group. 



As respects their social state, the people are divided into three 

 classes : the nea or omata (chiefs), katoka (landholders), and kawa 

 (slaves). The first and last divisions constitute about three-fourths of 

 the population, and are about equal in numbers. The katokas are 

 persons who possess land, but are not of noble birth; many of these 

 were originally slaves, who have obtained land by acts of bravery, or 

 through the favour of their chiefs. The kawas are those who possess 

 no land, or no one from whom they can claim support. The omatas 

 consist of all the free and well born, who possess the greater propor- 

 tion of the land, as well as the political authority of the group. The 

 oldest male of a family is the chief of the community, and presides 

 over all their matters : he is called nea. They are, however, inde- 

 pendent of each other, although great deference is always paid to the 

 oldest among them. 



In Makin, the class of katokas is not known ; and the only dis- 

 tinctions they have, are the high and the low. This class, therefore, 

 appears to have been only introduced on Kuria and the adjacent 

 islands. 



Wars between the different towns are of frequent occurrence ; and 

 in some of the islands ambitious chiefs have obtained the rule 

 through conquests, and made themselves sovereign over the whole. 



There does not appear to be any general authority existing 

 throughout the group, even in those islands that are in the neigh- 

 bourhood of each other, excepting in the islands of Apamama, 

 Nanouki, and Kuria, where there is a king, who governs the three: 

 he resides on the former, and is named " Tetalau." His grandfather 

 was the first to make war, and by conquest acquired supreme power in 

 Apamama. The present king has extended his authority over the two 

 smaller islands, against which he waged a successful war, in conse- 

 quence of the murder of one of his relations. To this little kingdom, 

 most of the facts in reference to the Kingsmill Group more particularly 

 apply, as Kuria was the residence of Kirby ; but from the observa- 



