214 '^^^^ Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji. 
this painful custom. They regularly murdered part of their 
offspring, but were tolerably fond of those children who 
were spared. In some parts of the island, it was not cus- 
tomary for the father to speak to his son, until after the 
latter had attained his fifteenth year. Boys were circum- 
cised when seven or eight years old, and both sexes went 
naked until the age of ten years. 
As might have been expected, women occupied a most 
degraded position in heathen Fiji. She was often betrothed 
in infancy to an old man ; sometimes sold to the highest 
purchaser, and not unfrequently re-sold for any coveted 
article, as if she were some animal. In many islands, she 
was really a beast of burden, and forbidden to enter any 
idol temple ; she was only permitted to eat after her hus- 
band had finished, and then only of certain kinds of food. 
No affection or love was ever expected to be shown by the 
husband to his wife. In some cases, young men and girls 
chose each other for partners, and sundry gifts passed in 
order to ratify the promise ; but as soon as he felt justified by 
circumstances, or inclination prompted, he took another wife. 
If children were destined to be killed speedily, they were 
seldom named ; but if intended to be spared, and reared, 
they received a name ; and a feast somewhat akin to a 
christening- feast in England, was celebrated. Hospitality 
and rude plenty, united with noisy native music, formed the 
chief features at these entertainments. So perverted were 
the ideas of heathens, that a Fijian boy would be taught, as 
his earliest and most important lesson, to strike his mother, 
under the impression that by this means he would grow up 
to be brave, and take delight in conquering all enemies. 
Beside the blows from her son, the Fijian mother would 
have a bitter lot as a wife, for she would be only one 
among a houseful of wives 3 and so frequently did quarrels 
