l have carried them for a considerable time, until they have,
as he thinks, acquired the specific odour of his body; and it is
then that they have obtained their special power. It is impossible
to induce a boy to part with a piece of wood or stone which has been
so seasoned by time, and would take long to replace. Sometimes a boy
will acquire these things by purchase from a magic man, who professes
to be able to impart to them a more effective power.

A proposal of marriage is usually made by the boy through some female
relative of the girl, or other suitable person, and not directly by
him to the girl herself.

Another custom may be mentioned here, though it only relates to a man
who is already married, but wants another wife or wives. In clearing
the bush for yam gardens it is usual, as regards the smaller trees,
to cut away the side branches only, leaving the main trunks for posts
up which the yams will climb; but the man in question will in the
case of one (only one) of these smaller trees leave uncut one, two,
or three of the upper branches, the number so left being the number
of the wives he desires; and everyone understands its meaning.

As regards the relationship of unmarried boys and girls generally,
they are allowed to associate together, without any special precautions
to prevent misconduct, and a good deal of general immorality exists.

The marriage ceremony, following a parental betrothal, or with
parental acquiescence, is a very informal matter, and in fact both
the bargaining for the wife and the ceremony of the marriage are
in striking contrast to the elaborate system of bargaining and mock
raiding by the girl's family, and the wedding ceremonies, which are
adopted in Mekeo. A day is fixed for the marriage, and on that day the
boy goes to the house of the girl's parents, after which he and she
and her parents go to the house of the boy's parents, and the girl
is paid for then and there. After this the young people immediately
live together as a married couple in the house of either his or her
parents, until he has been able to build a house for himself. Neither
are there any special ceremonies in connection with the fixing of
the price. This is generally very small. Dogs' teeth, pearl shell,
necklaces, adzes, etc., are the usual things in which it is paid; but
there is always a pig, which has been killed under, or on the site of,
the grave platform above referred to. The price, in fact, depends upon