[Footnote 183:  Cantova says of his Caroline islanders, “La pluralite des femmes est non seulement permise a tous ces insulaires, elle est encore une marque d’honneur et de distinction.  Le Tamole de l’isle d’Huogoleu en a neuf.”—­Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses, tom. xv. p. 310.—­D.]

As female chastity, at first sight, seemed to be held in no great estimation, we expected to have found frequent breaches of their conjugal fidelity; but we did them great injustice.  I do not know that a single instance happened daring our whole stay.[184] Neither are those of the better sort, that are unmarried, more free of their favours.  It is true, there was no want of those of a different character; and, perhaps, such are more frequently met with here, in proportion to the number of people, than in many other countries.  But it appeared to me, that the most, if not all of them, were of the lowest class; and such of them as permitted familiarities to our people, were prostitutes by profession.

[Footnote 184:  At the Caroline Islands, “Ils ont horreur de l’adultere, comme d’une grand peche.”—­Ibid. tom. xv. p. 310.—­D.]

Nothing can be a greater proof of the humanity of these people, than the concern they shew for the dead.[185] To use a common expression, their mourning is not in words, but deeds.  For, besides the tooge mentioned before, and burnt circles and scars, they beat the teeth with stones, strike a shark’s tooth into the head, until the blood flows in streams, and thrust spears into the inner part of the thigh, into their sides below the arms-pits, and through the cheeks into the mouth.  All these operations convey an idea of such rigorous discipline, as must require either an uncommon degree of affection, or the grossest superstition, to exact.  I will not say, that the last has no share in it; for sometimes it is so universal, that many could not have any knowledge of the person for whom the concern is expressed.  Thus we saw the people of Tongataboo mourning the death of a chief at Vavaoo; and other similar instances occurred during our stay.  It should be observed, however, that the more painful operations are only practised on account of the death of those most nearly connected with the mourners.[186] When a person dies, he is buried, after being wrapped up in mats and cloth, much after our manner.  The chiefs seem to have the fiatookas appropriated to them as their burial-places; but the common people are interred in no particular spot.  What part of the mourning ceremony follows immediately after, is uncertain; but that there is something besides the general one, which is continued for a considerable length of time, we could infer, from being informed, that the funeral of Mareewagee’s wife, as mentioned before, was to be attended with ceremonies that were to last five days, and in which all the principal people were to commemorate her.

[Footnote 185:  How the inhabitants of the Caroline Islands express their grief on such occasions, may be seen, ibid. tom. xv. p. 308.—­D.]