This Manner Of Paying A
Compliment, Is Taught Them From Their Very Infancy; For When We Gave Things
To Little Children, The Mother Lifted Up The Child's Hand To Its Head.
They
also used this custom in their exchanges with us; whatever we gave them for
their goods, was always applied to the head, just as if it had been given
them for nothing.
Sometimes they would look at our goods, and if not
approved, return them back; but whenever they applied them to the head, the
bargain was infallibly struck. When I had made a present to the chief of
any thing curious, I frequently saw it handed from one to another; and
every one, into whose hands it came, put it to the head. Very often the
women would take hold of my hand, kiss it, and lift it to their heads. From
all this it should seem, that this custom, which they call
fagafatie, has various significations according as it is applied;
all, however, complimentary.
It must be observed, that the sullen chief or king did not pay me any of
these compliments for the presents I made him.
A still more singular custom prevails in these isles: We observed that the
greater part of the people, both men and women, had lost one, or both their
little fingers.[5] We endeavoured, but in vain, to find out the reason of
this mutilation; for no one would take any pains to inform us. It was
neither peculiar to rank, age, or sex; nor is it done at any certain age,
as I saw those of all ages on whom the amputation had been just made; and,
except some young children, we found few who had both hands perfect.
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