CUSTOMS OF THE FEEJEE GROUP. 93 
affection. If detected in infidelity, the woman is not unfrequently 
knocked on the head, or made a slave for life. The man may also be 
treated in the same manner; but this punishment may also consist in 
what is called suabi. This is a forfeiture of his lands, which is sig- 
nified by sticking reeds into the ground. These are bound together by 
knots, so as to form tripods. If the offender wishes to regain his lands, 
he must purchase the good-will of the offended party by presents. In 
some cases, the friends of the injured party seize the wife of the 
offender, and give her to the aggrieved husband. ‘There are also other 
modes in which a husband revenges himself for the infidelity of his 
wife, which do not admit of description. 
We have seen that the extent to which polygamy is carried is 
limited only by the will of the man and his means of maintaining his 
wives. The latter are almost completely slaves, and usually, by the 
strict discipline of the husband, live peaceably together. The house- 
hold is under the charge of the principal wife, and the others are 
required to yield to her control. If they misbehave, they are tied up, 
put in irons, or flogged. : 
The birth of the first child is celebrated by a feast on the natal day ; 
another feast takes place four days afterwards, and another in ten days, 
when suitable presents are made to the young couple. 
Parturition is not usually severe, and some women have been known 
to go to work within an hour after delivery. Others, however, remain 
under the nurse’s care for months. It is the prevailing opinion that 
hard work makes the delivery more easy. After childbirth the women 
usually remain quiet, and live upon a diet composed of young taro-tops, 
for from four to eight days, after which they bathe constantly. 
Midwifery is a distinct profession, exercised by women in all the 
towns, and they are said to be very skilful, performing operations 
which are among us considered as surgical. Abortion is prevalent, 
and nearly half of those conceived are supposed to be destroyed in this 
manner, usually by the command of the father, at whose instance the 
wife takes herbs which are known to produce this effect. If this do 
not succeed, the accoucheur is employed to strangle the child, and 
bring it forth dead. 
A child is rubbed with turmeric as soon as it is born, which they 
consider strengthening. It is named immediately, by some relative or 
friend. If, through neglect or accident, a name should not be forth- 
with given, the child would be considered as an outcast, and be 
destroyed by the mother. 
Girls reach the age of puberty when about fourteen years old, and 
boys when from seventeen to eighteen. This period in a girl’s life is 
