80 T U T U I L A. 



Circumcision is practised among them. 



They carry their children in the same singular manner on the hip, 

 as was shown in wood-cut of the low archipelago. They are early 

 betrothed, without regard to age, the girl being saa, or tabooed, until 

 of marriageable age. During the intervening time, all kinds of native 

 property are accumulated, such as mats, &c, for the bridal day. 

 Two days previous to it, the inhabitants of the district are gathered 

 together for feasting and dancing. On the third day, the bride is 

 produced before the assembled multitude, and the ceremony attendant 

 on marriage that was customary among the Jews performed. After 

 the marriage had been consummated, the dowry was exhibited, and 

 each article being held up it was proclaimed by whom it was pre- 

 sented ; the multitude, having consumed all the eatables, and exhausted 

 their strength in rioting and debauchery, dispersed. 



Infanticide has never been practised on this island. 



I have seldom seen a more devout or attentive collection of people 

 than I observed at times in the church meeting, which was held in the 

 council-house at Pago-pago ; the new church was undergoing altera- 

 tions ; for on its being completed, it was found it would not accommo- 

 date the congregation, when they determined to enlarge it. 



Upon the conclusion of a long service, they were observed to divide 

 themselves into three parties ; one remaining in the church, and the 

 other two repairing to different buildings. The object of this was, that 

 they might listen to instructions from their native teachers explanatory 

 of the sermon, and also receive exhortations to put away all that is 

 unbecoming to the Christian character. The afternoon is employed 

 in further explanations and examinations by the missionaries. The 

 native missionaries have also meetings on Fridays. 



Their mode of singing hymns is peculiar, the whole mass joining 

 in some parts, with all the lungs they could muster. This exercise 

 appeared to afford them great delight. The congregation were mostly 

 dressed in tapas, or clothed in one sort of garment or other ; but the 

 person who attracted our attention most, was the consort of Pomale. 

 From being the wife of the most influential personage, she had 

 received more presents from us than any other ; and she endeavoured, 

 on this occasion, to display on her person the greater part, if not all, 

 that she had thus acquired. These consisted of a red calico gown, 

 four or five petticoats of different colours, woollen socks, green slip- 

 pers, cap and bonnet, a large plaid blanket shawl, and a pair of polar 

 gloves, the whole surmounted by a flaming red silk umbrella — and this 

 with the thermometer at 87° ! It was difficult to keep our eyes off 

 her during the service, and before the end of it, all her finery became 



