THE KINGSMILL ISLANDERS. 91 



ever, no want of attention to the aged who are not able to provide for 

 themselves ; and those who neglect their old relations are held in little 

 respect. The aged enjoy much consideration, and, as I have before 

 stated, great respect is paid to them in council. 



More consideration is awarded to the female sex than has been ob- 

 served in any of the other groups. All the hard labour is performed 

 by the men, whose employment consists in building the houses and 

 canoes, catching fish, collecting and bringing home the produce of their 

 plantations, and attending to the cultivation of the taro, in which the 

 women assist only by weeding the ground. The employment of the 

 females is almost exclusively confined to in-door occupations, and those 

 which we ourselves hold as belonging naturally to the sex, such as 

 cooking and preparing food, braiding mats, &c, and they seem to have 

 exclusive control over the house. The work of both sexes is, how- 

 ever, very light, and the greater proportion of their time is spent in 

 pastimes, of which idleness forms the most considerable part. Although 

 the women are relieved from the toils of life, yet they are not held to 

 be above chastisement, and a man will not hesitate to strike a woman ; 

 but the fair ones consider themselves equally free, and seldom fail to 

 return the blow, and the aggrieved party generally receives the aid of 

 her companions, when the man is glad to escape from the bruises, 

 blows, and scratches they inflict. 



Among this people chastity is not regarded as a virtue, nor consi- 

 dered as any recommendation in the selection of a wife ; but after 

 marriage, a woman must be extremely guarded in her conduct, as the 

 punishment for a want of duty in this respect is severe, even amounting 

 to death in some cases ; but it is usually limited to expulsion from her 

 husband's house. Notwithstanding these penalties, there are frequent 

 infractions of these ties, and it is not surprising that they should occur, 

 under their system of polygamy, and the interdiction which prevents 

 the younger brothers of chiefs, and persons who do not hold land, from 

 marrying. Intrigues and elopements are not unfrequent, and produce 

 the same results as elsewhere. 



War, on all the islands with the exception of Makin, is a part of their 

 business, and apparently engages most of their attention. Their con- 

 flicts may be considered as civil wars, for little communication is held 

 between any of the islands, except those of Apamama, Nanouki, and 

 Kuria, which are under the king of Apamama. The communication 

 that takes place between the others is in consequence of the escape of 

 individuals from punishment, or who become desperate, and embark in 

 a canoe, to seek an asylum in some of the neighbouring islands. This 

 is also the practice with the remaining portion of a defeated party, ir 



