Relation 
54 
[1671 
Wicked su¬ 
perstition. 
Circum¬ 
cision. 
Chiefs of 
the Island. 
& has not voluntarily told the truth, that therefore she is 
dead. 
The husbands, knowing those who have had to do with 
their wives, send immediately to them to summon them 
to pay the fine which is generally paid in the Island for 
that. This fine is the half of that which a wife has cost 
her husband ; and when they refuse to pay those whose 
wives they have embrac’d, having enough force, they go 
to war against those who are obliged to pay, and carry 
off all which they can capture, either Slaves or cattle. 
Those who have an affair with wives of others, & who 
have not the means of paying the fines, are oblig’d to 
serve their husbands as slaves. 
When the wives lie in on certain days of the week 
which they believe unfortunate, & particularly the Sunday, 
they destroy their infants, throwing them into the water, 
or exposing them in the woods. They believe that if they 
let live these children born on these days, that they will 
become very wicked, do much evil, & kill their father & 
mother. This wicked superstition destroys many of the 
children, without which this Island alone could not sus¬ 
tain its Inhabitants. 
They circumcise their infants, and to this effect make 
great & royal ceremonies. This Circumcision is held when 
the Chief of the Province has the means, & if there are 
many of these children to circumcise, and ordinarily every 
three years. They build a sort of Hall for this operation, 
under which they make their ceremonies ; when the Chief 
has cut the foreskin of the infant, their nearest relation 
swallows it in a cup of drink. This circumcision made, 
they slaughter beasts, with which they make good cheer 
in general & rejoicing, singing and dancing to the sound 
of their tambours & instruments. 
The Chiefs seldom live at peace together; & when they 
can set one upon the other, do not lose the occasion, & 
