142 JOHN FRASER. 



Samoa — The Samoans change names for similar reasons. 



6. A feast at a marriage. 



Gen. xxix., 22. And Laban gathered together all the men of 



the place and made a feast. 

 Samoa. — The Samoans have a feast at a marriage. 



7. Presents to great men. 



Gen. xliii., 11 — 15. Carry down the man a present. 

 Samoa. — Samoans always take a present when paying a visit 

 of respect or friendship to a superior. 



8. Benjamin's mess. 



Gen. xliii., 34. And he took and sent messes unto them from 



before him. 

 Samoa. — Samoan meals are served as here recorded. 



9. Natural eloquence. 



Gen. xliv., 18 to the end. Oh, my lord, let thy servant, I pray 



thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, &c. 

 Samoa. — A Samoan orator, or the principal man in a family, has 



naturally a readiness for such eloquence as this in similar 



circumstances. Samoan orators have a habit of giving 



details as here. 



10. Embalming. 



Gen. 1., 2, 26. And Joseph commanded his servants the physi- 

 cians to embalm his father. Also 2 Chron. xvi., 14. 



Samoa. — Embalming was an ancient Samoan custom and was 

 called 'atualala,'but is now lost. See Turner's "Nineteen 

 Years in Polynesia." 



11. Mourning for the dead. 



Gen. 1., 4, 10, 11. And when the days of his mourning were 



past, Joseph &c. 

 Samoa. — The Samoans have different stages of mourning for 



the dead. See Turner's " Nineteen Years in Polynesia." 



12. Doing reverence to superiors. 



Gen. 1., 18. And his brethren also went and fell down before 

 his face ; and they said, Behold we be thy servants. 



