102 
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF 
men, one from each side, stand up in the middle, and proceed to 
exchange the mats for iriris and the oil; the provisions of one side for 
those of the other. The exchange is made with great care, so that 
each receives an equivalent. When this is finished, the parties gather 
up their exchanges and retire, leaving the married couple, whose pre¬ 
sence was deemed necessary to sanction the sale, no better off than 
before. This custom is called katiro, and is often resorted to for 
making exchanges, on ordinary occasions. 
Children are often betrothed at an early age, sometimes as soon as 
born, in which case the ceremony of marriage is not deemed neces¬ 
sary. Polygamy, as before observed, is allowed to any extent, and 
limited only by the ability of the person to support his wives. On 
Makin, no marriage ceremony takes place, for every female child is 
betrothed as soon as born, usually to some near relative, who takes her 
to his house at whatever age fie may think proper; and those who are 
not so betrothed remain all their lives unmarried, forming temporary 
connexions with the young men who are similarly situated. Of the 
latter there are great numbers, owing to the majority of the women 
being monopolized by the wealthy and powerful, to whom this custom 
affords every facility for obtaining wives. This state of things brings 
about, as is naturally to be expected, many intrigues and squabbles. 
At the birth of a child, the priest gives it a name, at the request of 
the father; but if the infant should be taken sick soon afterwards, the 
first name is abandoned, and another adopted, in hopes that it may 
prove a more fortunate one; for they believe that the illness may be 
owing to its name. It is very common to call a child after its grand¬ 
father. 
A woman has seldom more than two, and never more than three 
living children. After the birth of a third, they consider it necessary 
to prevent the increase of their families, and resort to that most un¬ 
natural means, a systematic abortion. So soon as a woman believes 
herself to be enceinte for the third or fourth time, she determines that 
the offspring shall not survive, and calls in the aid of an experienced 
midwife to destroy it, who effects the purpose by external pressure on 
the abdomen or back, and though not unattended with much pain and 
difficulty to the mother, the operation rarely proves fatal. This prac¬ 
tice is looked upon without any sort of horror or shame, being con¬ 
sidered as a necessary and proper means to prevent their families from 
becoming so xarge as to be a burden to them, and not because the 
island might become over-peopled, for this latter idea does not seem 
ever to have occurred to them. The practice of destroying the foetus 
is universal among the unmarried females, but children are never 
