THE KINGS MILL ISLANDERS. 105 



two large whale's teeth, while others again have small rows of the 

 latter across the back. Almost all wear a great many human teeth 

 on the arms and around the neck : these are taken from their slain 

 enemies ; for, after killing a man, the first object with them is to knock 

 out his teeth, for the purpose of obtaining them for ornaments. 

 Through the lobes of their ears they pass long strips of yellow leaves, 

 which hang down on their shoulders. They also besmear the face 

 and body with cocoanut-oil, and some daub each cheek with fine 

 white sand, and blacken their eyebrows and beards with charcoal. 

 The hair is oiled and combed out with a pointed stick, and stands 

 out from the head, forming an ornament which they esteem as very 

 becoming. The women wear their usual dress and a few ornaments, 

 but about the decorations of their persons they are very attentive and 

 scrupulous. 



The dances resemble the evolutions of a company of soldiers : the 

 two parties stand in rows, either facing each other, or back to back, 

 or else both face inwards ; their motions are confined to the body and 

 arms; the legs, though not entirely at rest, seldom have much action; 

 at times the arms are thrown out from the body, when they give a 

 rapid quivering motion to the fingers, clap their hands together, and 

 afterwards slap them with great force against the thighs and breast, 

 while the body is rocked to and fro. Every movement is made in 

 perfect unison by the whole party, who all keep time with a mono- 

 tonous song. In their dances the great object is to make as much 

 noise and commotion as possible. Their full-moon feasts are the 

 only periodical ones they have. 



At the marriage of a great chief there are great rejoicings, attended 

 with dances and songs; the latter are composed for the occasion, 

 reciting the greatness of the chief, and the prowess and character of 

 his ancestors. 



The regular monthly festival does not prevail at Makin Island. 



On Taritari a great feast is held about midwinter, in honour of 

 Teouki, the grandfather of the present king, who is considered by 

 them as the most illustrious man the island has ever produced. 



There are many other amusements : among them foot-ball, sailing 

 small canoes, swimming in the surf, and flying kites. The kites 

 are made of the pandanus-leaf reduced to half its thickness, which 

 renders it lighter than paper ; and they are prettily shaped. In 

 swimming in the surf, they have a small board like that used by the 

 Sandwich Islanders. 



vol. v. 27 



