176 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
Another custom, almost as universal on these 
occasions, was that of knocking out some of the 
front teeth, practised by both sexes, though per¬ 
haps most extensively by the men. When a chief 
died, those most anxious to shew their respect for 
him or his family would be the first to knock out, 
with a stone, one of their front teeth. The chiefs 
related to the deceased, or on terms of friendship 
with him, were expected thus to exhibit their 
attachment; and when they had done so, their 
attendants and tenants felt themselves, by the 
influence of custom, obliged to follow their ex¬ 
ample. Sometimes a man broke out his own tooth 
with a stone; more frequently, however, it w r as 
done by another, who fixed one end of a piece 
of stick or hard wood against the tooth, and struck 
the other end with a stone, till it was broken off. 
When any of the men deferred this operation, 
the women often performed it for them, while 
they were asleep. More than one tooth was sel¬ 
dom destroyed at one time; but the mutilation 
being repeated on the decease of every chief of 
rank or authority, there are few men to he seen, 
who had arrived at maturity before the introduction 
of Christianity to the islands, with an entire set of 
teeth; and many, by this custom, have lost the 
front teeth on both the upper and lower jaw, 
which, aside from other inconveniences, causes a 
great defect in their speech. Some, however, have 
dared to be singular; and though they must have 
seen many deaths, have parted with but few of 
their teeth. Among this number is Karaimoku, a 
chief next in authority to the king; not more than 
one of whose teeth are deficient. 
Cutting one or both ears was formerly practised 
on these occasions; but as we never saw more 
