' 3 S 2 On the "Nicoba-r Isles. 



v-n D 



Imt, they light, their fire and cook their victuals : fix or eight people gene- 

 rally occupy one hut, and a number of -ikulls of wild boars forms the 

 moft valuable article of furniture. 



The occupation of the men confiils in building and. repairing their huts, 

 which affords them an annual' employment for fix months at leaft, and 

 in fifhihg and trading to the neighbouring iflands. The women are em- 

 ployed in preparing the vi&uals and cultivating the ground, they alfo 

 paddle in the. canoes, when the men go out. They unite in matrimony 

 through choice j and, if the man is not fatisfied with the conduct of the 

 woman, either from her inattention to domeftic concerns, or iterility, or 

 even from any diflike on his part, he is at liberty to discharge her, and 

 each unites with a different perfon, as if no fuch .connection had taken 

 place. Adultery is accounted highly ignominious and difgraceful j parti- 

 cularly with perfons not of the fame caft .: . fhould it be proved, the 

 man would not only be difmifled with infamy, but on fome occafions 

 put to death ; although by the intervention of a frnall token given publickly, 

 and confifting of nothing more than a leaf of tobacco, the reciprocal lending 

 of their wives of the fame caft is exceedingly common. 



A woman, who.bears three children, is reckoned very fruitful ; few bear 

 mor.e than fourj the caufe may be, attributed to the men, from a debility 

 occafioned by the early intrufion of the tefticles into the abdomen, the 

 hard cornpreffion of them and the penis by the bandage round thofe parts, 

 from premature venery, and hebetation brought on by the immoderate ufe of 

 fpirits j and from the very ina&ive and fedentary life thefe people lead, 



T,he account of this voyage Was . reprinted at Stockholm, by Silvi um in the vear i^.-tiBwaiiH 

 have been 7tZ of c Z\T "a *"*?' °*^ f ""- Wbat haS * vcn rife t0 thi ^PP°fed tail, J.y 



wo- 

 even 



