Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/397

Rh THE TONGA ISLANDS. 331 arrived in time to see them buried, and to hear the account of the recent event from those who had been eye-witnesses. Both sexes at the Fiji islands adopt the cus- tom of making an incision in the lobe of each ear, and introducing a piece, >bout an inch long, of the mid-rib of the plantain leaf, to keep it distended : when healed, they introduce a thicker piece, and afterwards a still larger piece of the wood of the tree itself, so as to cause the lobe of the ear to spread and hang down considerably. This practice, as it is con- sidered ornamental, the women carry to a much greater extent than the men ; and at length in- troduce such large pieces, that the lobe of the ear hangs down almost as low as the shoulder, the opening thus made being about ten inches in circumference. Frequently, by overstiretch- ing the lobe, it splits ; and there are many wo- men seen with it hanging down in two slips ! ! Their skins are by no means so smooth and sleek as those of the Tonga people, owing, pro- bably, to the circumstance of their not oiling themselves. The gods are consulted in much the same way as at Tonga : there are, indeed, some few trifling differences in the ceremony, but these Mr. Mariner is not sufficiently acquainted with to state accurately: although he was after-