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. 



