TRAVELS IN THE CALIFORNIA S. 
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wells. Over this they build large fires, heat them thoroughly, 
clean out the coals and ashes, fill them with whale flesh, cover 
the opening with sticks, leaves, grass and earth, and thus bake 
their repast. After gorging themselves, they hang the 
remainder of the whale upon the branches of the trees, away 
from the wolves and bears, and as hunger dictates cut down, 
roast and eat. Next to the whale they prize the seal, which 
they cook and eat in a similar manner. 
These people have their forms of marriage. The matrimo¬ 
nial alliance formed, the suitor presents his lady love with a 
jug, in their language an olo, the acceptance of which denotes 
her consent; and she makes her return by presenting him 
with a net, which reciprocation of testimonials confirms the 
marriage. Among some of the tribes, mutual consent of par¬ 
ties in the presence of the tribe at the end of a dance is the 
form. Parentage and other relations of consanguinity are no 
obstacles to matrimony. A man often marries a whole family, 
the mother and her daughters; and it is rather remarkable 
in such cases that no jealousies ever appear among these 
families of wives. They seem to consider their offspring as 
the property of all, and the husband as their common protec¬ 
tor. It is not unusual even, to find such unions accompanied 
with the most devoted attachment, and old age comes on with 
their love unabated. In this also, they assimilate with the 
Hawaiians. And their custom in this connection is that women, 
immediately after delivery, having washed themselves in 
running water, go to the wood and return home laden with 
heavy burdens; meanwhile the lazy husband lies at full length 
under the shade of a tree, affecting the pangs of labor, ex¬ 
treme illness and weakness. This farce continues three days. 
All their high festivals are kept during the ingathering of 
Pitahaga, when they give themselves up whole nights to 
tumultuous jollity. Their principal entertainments are the 
acting of pantomimic comedies, which their best players per¬ 
form with an astonishing degree of excellence. Extremely 
agile and graceful, they represent with vast accuracy by ges- 
