J jp fc
dpned countrymen making them belftye this 'a favour we could not
well dp withput. Our ftrft refufal feemed to; excite ^furgrjfg^dbpt
has generally prevented a fécond temptation, from the. fame perfon.,
Unchafhty among females- o f rank,| and éfpeeiall'y after marriage, we
have liewd is f ^ e r i f y y ' wé haîveriB@fia$îyéç
known an inftance.
Theh- marriages are attended with very litj&j eeremony f the- only*
one we hâve fe?w Was that; oft Ifearps; whhewhpsn brothers Rowell and
Harper hàyebeen feme time refident. This -was condmlted in the following
planner: A youn g'femaje hàving attfadled.-his';atftnüon, he
firft inform ed his napther that he wifhed tP add‘ fefs ta *Ae number o f
his wives. : She immediately7 communicated this .ip th e damfel’^
father, and the propofid meeting his approbation, he-clothed her in a
new garment, and with; attendants,- and fueh a quantity o f -baked
h ^ s y tÿamsV yava root,- &c;. 'as; h e could afford, i -fhe was-:font] itocher
intended fpoufo, w h o being apprifcd o f her coming1, feated himfelf in
his houfe, and received her in the fame manüer,. and, with as^ little
emotion,• as he would have- done any other viftttoe ï fiaiftrogi on the
provifibns, and a good draught o f yava, eoncduded ther whffetr ®nÉ
the;bride waS:afillhert.y either to return tb: her father till again font for,
o r to take up her refidence with,her hufband.whiehy mthi&inftanee,]
fh© prdferared.' Edlygamyi] isria common pmftice amoi% the thftfsy
each o f whom takes.as many wives as he pleafesij;-baft A e y arc en&e
ftrangers to domeftic broils, which may; in a great degree, ’be-owing-
to the abfolutc power each man has« over his own family y woman;
being fo; much at her hufband's difpofal, as renders ' her liable tetbe
difearded on the fmafteft difpleafure.
, Tbdrdeiltfes aiemanerous ^ ^ndHiough we hav©Miherth-heen able
to. la y but Mtde to them on this, fubje&b wfc hâve reafpn to think- theii?
préjudices are ftrohg. Evdry: difbdjft; has its -own deity ; and each
family of note has one, whom they, confider as their peculiar patron.
Tàlliataboo is the god o f Aliëëfo, which being prefent the moft
powerful, he is accounted a great warrior.' Futtafâihe prefides over
Skm .]
tMppa- and Dpabltidba. - Qattpw^'^r the] diftridtj cdi Ahoge- j each o f
qcyafions. reprefented by the foyeral chiefs
o f .theft; diftriftsj fo^fthai|. we’ find their Patches; and ,©thpr annual
eyhahlhoTifi arena! .metqjpuhhg an^ftments* qbfervaiwes,
wh<ireqn-theyvd^lBlhq-^pfts (and; h*alEik# fi their .-whoa®
they have great affe&ioray entirely defend } as lifeewifo the profperity
o f the country in general jg expecting the. fucceeding, crop will-, be in
pr'ofdmon tte>, the- offerk&g-s made at th e ft, times-.,
natdhes'; ,mTiihe::.yg2ry onewhe®ifM*
pteffivejolfrtbeiri’gfatitadeJ- .flh e .w ind^j^y-fppplftite-.be'u^tlerrthe
eomtrorof a ,female, galled fella^Fdatpnga^v whoft,they- %yl,isjVery
powerful, ihpreffprp.;^netiin«i?
Iftead^fruit, and
pftftr ]^e^va®d:;'cepftai®s'iftiehtsaypg|^ ag^ipbhgfethem. HP
:ings-0f; bpg?,; yams, and kavaj in the fn©ft hrunjble and fubmiffive
tnannef; tpsahos^f-feered to.her,, wherf.w.perfonris appointed *P perfoliate
hen on. the occafion, m d rereiyethejqfferiiig that, is: tirade,., Tfoefe
Forms - being jvqry unfrequent, r .and., generally; oyer before appealing
meafu-ses-a^©i taken, „^ e repreftntatiye is* in little danger; o f being
deteft-ed ©f .falfehpod.-jhy- returning^a-] .favourable| anfweri, . T h is
ofiice o f p^pfonatpr: clft&Wxfor^the'
pcekipn. ^|c
‘W-e-; haK® ffoOh 'WPiperfow-amWg ilhem-j th # (^e^jfptorp- religious
than-, another, on any ; thing -that could lead us tpi-.fupp’pfeuhere
jsƒ ;atey; fuch-. charadter as a prieft'-.among them. In all the offerings.
they make,; each.man kills .and prefents- his own faerifice. Their
frequent earthquakes, they account for. by fuppofing. the ifland refts
upon the fhoulders of' a very powerful ■ deity, ^Called Mowee, who has
fupported: it for 'fuch;- a. length , of time as exceeds their- conceptions.
This heavy bu-rden-often-.exhaufts his patience, and then he endeavours,
but in vain, to foalce it off; which, however, never fails to excite a
horrid outcry over the whole country,.- that lafts for fome time after