But they have much leisure time at their disposal, and their sports are of various kinds. The people of one dis trict contend with those of another in throwing spears, from eight to fourteen feet in length, at a mark thirty or forty yards distant ; or in shooting with bows and arrows to the greatest distance. They are dexterous wrestlers ; and challenge one another to this exercise, by striking the right hand upon the cavity in the bend of the left arm, so as to make a loud report. When the people of one dis trict wrestle against those of another, the women com mence the contest, and the men succeed. They practise from the tenderest age the exercise at quarter staff, and are very expert in defending the head and other parts of the body. They amuse themselves with the sling, and will throw a stone with such force, as to sink it in the bark of a tree at the distance of 200 yards. Their dances arc various; and are generally performed by the men and women in separate parties. They consist of slow regular movements of the hands and feet, keeping time with the music. At the conclusion of some of the public dances, the younger females exhibit various indecent gestures ; such practises are said to be unknown in private parties. At the public dances, also, there arc parties of singers, who join the music, or actors of pantomimes, in which the conduct of the chiefs is frequently satirized, and brought in some measure to the bar of public opinion. But the amusement, in which persons of all sexes, and ranks, and ages, seem to delight most, is that of swim ming in the surf. They swim out beyond the place where the swell of the surf begins; and with a small board, about two feet or more in length, to support their breast, or fre quently with nothing whatever in their hands, they throw themselves on the top of the wave, and steering them selves with one leg, while the other is held up out of the water, they are carried forward with amazing velocity, till the surf is ready to break on the shore, when they wheel round with a rapid movement, and darting head foremost through the wave, rise on the outside, and swim back again to the place where the swell begins. In thus going and returning they frequently MB foul of each othcr, and, before they can disentangle themselves, arc hurled topsy turvy on the shore, at the expence of many a bruise, but without any instance of drowning.
There are a multitude of ceremonies and singular cus toms, of which the following are but a small specimen. Both sexes go naked till the age of six or seven years; and at thirteen or fourteen the operation of tattooing com mences. A number of small figures and arched lines are made on the hands, feet, and hips of the females, and the men are farther tattooed on the arms, legs, and thighs: without which honourable marks, a person would be as much reproached and shunned, as if in this country he were to go about naked. About the same time, an opera tion, bearing some resemblance to circumcision, is per formed upon the boys. After the birth of a child, both child and mother are secluded as unclean for several weeks, and various rites and offerings performed. The mother during this period is not allowed to touch provisions of any kind, but is fed by another person ; and the provisions for the use of the child must be brought into the house by a different door or opening, and carried in a distinct vessel from those of the mother. The first male child,
from the moment of his birth, succeeds to all the honours of the family, and any insult offered to him is felt more deeply by the parents and relations than if offered to themselves. As the heads of the families, the children are put under no restraint, but are indulged in every thing from the day of their birth. Old age, on the con trary, is treated with the utmost disrespect, even in the persons of the chiefs ; and any thing worthless is coin monly denominated " old man." The women are not allowed to eat along with the men ; and are forbidden the use of certain kinds of food. They must gather and dress their own provisions, and, were a man to touch any of them, they must be thrown away. Neither are the women permitted to enter the morals, or to touch any sacred offerings. There are a class of men called M.tw hoos, of the most worthless description, who affect the dress, voice, and manners of females, who are allowed to associate with, and wait upon the women, and who are sub jected to the same restrictions. The marriages are cele brated without much ceremony, but various offerings suc ceed it. The woman is immediately provided with an instrument, in which is fixed a shark's tooth, about a quarter of an inch of which is hare, and sharp as a lancet, with which, upon all occasions of joy or grief, even of a very trivial nature, she strikes her head till the blood flows in streams. The husband's tayo, or chosen friend, is ad mitted to all his privileges; but it is regarded as incest in him to have intercourse with any others of the family. The higher class of females are often addicted to the most shameless and promiscuous lewdness. There is particularly an infamous society, chiefly composed of the higher ranks, called Arreoys, who live in a course of beastly concubinage, and whose female associates procure abortion when pregnant, or put to death their infants as soon as born, that they may have no interruption to their licentiousness. It is a general practice among all classes to destroy the new born children, especially the female in fants, to avoid the trouble of bringing them up. The head is accounted sacred ; and nothing is ever carried upon it. To lay the hand upon the head of any one is a great insult, or even to compare the size of any thing to the size of a person's head. The mode of salutation among equals is to touch noses ; and before the chiefs, and sacred places, to uncover the head, breast, and shoulders. They have a great adhorrence of flies touching their food ; and would throw away any provisions in which a dead fly was found. Hence they are continually provided with fly-flaps made of feathers, to keep these insects off their bodies and tables. They are remarkably attentive to personal cleanliness and neatness of appearance. They bathe three times a day in fresh water, and always wash themselves with it after coming out of the sea; nor can they be restrained from these baths even by diseases, if they are able to crawl to the water. They extract every hair from the nose, arm-pits, &c. trim their beard and hair with great attention, adjust their eye-brows and eye lashes, and anoint themselves with fragrant oils.