THE KINGSMILL ISLANDERS. 
99 
occurred a few years before, when it became necessary for the natives 
to have recourse to the purslane, which is not considered by them as 
very unpalatable food. 
These people have, from the little time occupied in cultivating their 
vegetable productions, a great deal of leisure; consequently, as would 
naturally be expected, amusements are sought for, and occupy a 
great part of their time : their festivals and dances are even looked 
upon as claiming priority to their warlike expeditions, and for these 
great preparations are always made some days previously. Their 
greatest festivities take place at the time of full moon, or a few 
days after it, when the people of one town usually invite those of 
another, both men and women, to what may be termed a dancing and 
singing match. On the day appointed, the guests arrive in their 
canoes, and proceed to the mariapa, where they occupy that portion 
of it on the side whence they came; the townspeople seat themselves 
opposite to them. The food which the strangers bring with them is 
laid in the middle, and as much more is added to it by their hosts, all 
of which is shared out by the guests among themselves. The dancing 
now begins, the guests making the first display of their agility, and 
when they have finished, the people of the town follow. A warm 
rivalry is thus kept up till evening, when the dancing gives place to 
singing, each taking up the measure in his turn. This is kept up until 
midnight, when the townspeople retire, leaving their guests to sleep in 
the mariapa. These festivities last for three days, after which the 
visiters depart. 
The men, during this period, clothe themselves in mats from the 
waist downwards. Some load the waist with heavy strings of beads; 
others adorn the neck with rows of shells, and sometimes with one or 
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. 
