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printed or plain, for the women. Shoes are
worn on only special
occasions of ceremony, as, for example, during our visit.
On their heads both sexes alike wear hats, the
material of which is either bulrushes or long,
slender leaves, torn into narrow strips,
braided and then sewn together spirally.
In making these they are far behind other islanders, the
Tahitians more especially, attributable mainly,
however, to the want of proper material rather
than to the lack of intelligence.
Crimes of any sort, but especially the graver
ones, are of great rarity, and murder, at the
present day, unknown. Petty thieving is common,
is considered a venial offense, and the injured
party seeks redress by stealing in kind, if
possible, but in any event, stealing from the
thief. There are no punishments, so called. Mr.
Salmon, who is guide, philosopher, and friend to
these people, unites in his person (and being a
giant in stature, he can well contain them) the
duties of referee, arbiter, judge. They entertain
the greatest respect for him; evince the utmost
affection; look up to him as their master; go to
him with all their troubles; refer to him all
their disputes and grievances. His word is law,
and his decisions final and undisputed.
There is a schoolhouse in which the people are
taught from books translated into Rapa Nui
language by the priests formerly here, and most of
the natives can read and write. The functions of
pedagogue are performed, after a fashion, by
Pakomeo, the survivor of the Peruvian captives,
who is also a preacher among them and conducts the
services at the little church. The form of
salutation on meeting is kohomai, "come to me."
The reply, koe, which means "thou," you, yourself.
In Tahiti, Society Islands, and Rarotonga it is,
Ia-ora-na, "may you live in God." In the Samoan
group, kalofa, "love to you" and tofa, "may you
sleep."
With regard to the burial rites, it may be stated
that no particular respect is shown persons of
rank while living; still less do they receive any
special funeral ceremonies when dead. All are
treated alike in this regard, on the principle,
presumably, that death levels all. The period of
mourning extends over three days, and the rites
are simple enough. Nowadays the service of the
church is usually invoked. The body is carried
out of the house and removed to some distance,
either in the open plain, or to one of the image
platforms, or into a cave, where it is exposed to
sun and air (incidentally, it may be mentioned,
also to predatory rats and cats in a semiwild
state, which roam the island in large numbers,
the former especially) until either dry,
decomposed, or partially devoured. In the caves
the remains are then shoved into an out-of-the-way
corner and walled in with loose stones. At the
platforms
they may be laid away under a gigantic prostrate
stone image, or placed in an excavation, either in the
face or floor of the platform, or simply put in a
convenient spot and covered up with stones. On
the plains a circular conical cairn, truncated at
top, 6 to 8 feet high, and built of
loose bowlders, is frequently erected over the remains.
Often the bones
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