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 he 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 large 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 



