Ill 



Their tubus. 



THE SAlftOAKS. 



Kiilcrlaiiinn iit of stnitiprrs. 

 Their p u null mint for crime*. 



fruit, bananas, tare, sweet-potatoes, and yams. 

 Fish i-» supplied in ouantiiies from the reef, and 

 they also cat the large ehesnut, vi-apph-, and 

 arrow-root, tlif feeulaof which tiny begin to manu- 

 factur© in some quantities. Although it would 

 scarcely he supposed ueeessary, where every thing 

 is so bountifully supplied by nature, yet they make 

 provision fortunes of scarcity and for their voyages 

 of the bread-fruit, mude when given into a kind 

 of paste, and lolled in banana-haves. This under- 

 goes ft partial fermentation, and is called niahi. 

 It is not unlike half-baked dough, and has n sour 

 unwholesome taste. Tin y eat hi i ds, &c, hut a 

 large wood-maggot which is found on the trees 

 is looked upon as the most delicious food they 

 have. 



They have much variety in their cooking, and 

 some of their dishes are exceedingly rich and 

 agreeable in the taste. They practise several 

 modes of co.ikiug the taro-tops; une, hy lying tin m 

 up with cocoa-nut pulp and baking ihein.in which 

 state they resemble spinach cooked with cream, 

 hut are sweeter. Another dish is call- d faiai, 

 made of the scraped and strained cocoa nut pulp 

 boiled down to the consistency of cubtard. It is 

 eaten Loth hut and cold. 



The habits of tin- Sum nans are regular. They 

 rise with the sun, and immediately take a meal. 

 They thin bathe and nil themselves, and go lo 

 their occupations fur tin? day. These consist in 

 part of the cultivation of taro and yams; building 

 houses and canoes. Many fish; nlhers raleh birds, 

 for which purpose they use nets affixed to long 

 poles. They generally find enough to employ ihe 

 mornings, in getting their daily supply. After this 

 is done, they lounge about, or play at their various 

 games, eat. about one o'clock, and again at night, 

 retiring to rest about nine o'clock. Tho men do 

 all the hard work, even to cookery. 



Tho women arc held in much consideration 

 among this people, are treated with great atten- 

 tion, and not suffered to do any thing but what 

 rightfully belongs to them. They take care of the 

 house, and of their children, prepare the fond fur 

 cooking, do all the in-door work, and manufacture 

 thr mats and tapn. 



They are cleanly in their habits, and bathe 

 daily; after which they anoint themselves with oil 

 and turmeric. This custom, I have no doubt, 

 tends to preserve tho health by preventing the 

 excessive perspiration which the heat of th« climate 

 naturally brings on. It is, however, at times 

 offensive, for the oil is apt to become rancid. 



The Samoans are of a social disposition, more 

 so, indeed, than the other natives of the Poly- 

 nesian islands, and they are fond of travelling. 

 The reasons thoy have for taking these journeys 

 are various; thus, when there is a scarcity of food 

 in one part, or a failure of the erops, they are in 

 tho habit oJf making a " faatamiJo," or circuit, 

 around a portion of these islands, so that by the 

 time they return, (which is at the expiration of 

 three months,) their own taro has grown and the 

 bread-fruit season come around. They are now in 

 their turn prepared to afford the same hospitality 

 and accommodation to others. Tho old people are 

 usuaJly left at the village to take care of it, whilst 

 the younger portions are gone on one of these 

 malaiigaa, or journeys. During these expeditions, 

 a sort of trade is frequently carried on. The dif- 



ferent portions of the inhabitants are each cele- 

 brated for a particular staple. Some exeel in 

 making mats; others in building canoes; the dis- 

 I tins m which the sea-ports are, obtain a vurit ly o| 

 articles from ships, which are subsequently distri- 

 buted over the whole group. 



It may readily be supposed that there are many 

 circumstances which make this mode of communi- 

 cation inconvenient, particular] v when the travelling 

 party is a large one, in which case it absolutely 

 breeds a famine in its progress. 



J have before stated that every villngo has its 

 " fale-tcle," which is the property of the chief. In 

 this their folios" or councils are held, nml it is 

 also the place where strangers are received. The 

 mode of receiving visitors is attended with much 



ceremony. A party enters the village will t 



inquiring where or how they are to he entertained, 

 and take up their quarters in the M fa lo- tele." lit 

 a short time the chief and principal personages, 

 collect and ricit I he strangers, telling them in a set 

 speech the pleasure they enjoy at their arrival, 

 and (heir delight to entertain them. This is mostly 

 said in what they term " tula-gafa,'' the speech of 

 tin- lips, and much complimentary language ensues. 

 The Satnoan language abounds in phrases adapted 

 to this use, and worthy of a refined people. 



Alter this interchange of compliments, the young 

 women assemble t<> treat the strangers to " ava." 

 This is prepared after the usual mode, by chewing 

 the piper uiythistienm. During this time the 

 young men are employed collecting and cooking 

 food. This is all done with great despatch. The 

 pigs are killed; the taro collected ; the oven heated ; 

 MM baskets made to hold the viands. In the feast 

 they are well assured of sharing, and therefore 

 have a strong stimulus to exertion. 



The strangers, on receiving the food, always re- 

 turn part of it to the entertainers. Thus all the 

 village is occupied with the entertainment, and a 

 scene of frolicking ensues until the strangers see 

 fit to take their departure. 



Among the heathen, dancing during the evening 

 always follows this feast; but the Christian villages 

 have abolished all dancing. 



These visits are not always paid or received in 

 a spirit of hospitality. The chief of a powerful 

 district takes this mode to exact tribute from his 

 less powerful neighbours, and they are on such 

 occasions extremely overbearing and insolent to 

 their entertainers. 



For crimes, they liave many forms of punish- 

 ment, among which are ; expulsion from the village 

 m which the offender resides; exposure of the 

 naked body to the sun; flogging; cutting off tin- 

 ears and nose; confiscation of property; and the 

 compulsory eating of noxious herbs. 



When a murder has been committed, the friends 

 of the porsou slant unite to avenge his death; and 

 the punishment does not fall upon the gnilty party 

 alone, but on hi9 friends and relatives, who with 

 their property are made the subjects of retaliation. 

 If any delay in seeking redress in this manner 

 occurs, it is received as an intimation that the 

 injured party, whether the family, the friendp, the 

 village, or whole district to which the murdered 

 person belonged, are willing to accept an equi- 

 valent for tho wrong they have sustained. The 

 friends of the murderer then collect what they 

 hope may be sufficient to avert retribution, and a 



