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[Page 485]

Manners & Customs of the South Sea Islands

in which few words occur the same as those usd in common conversation which greatly increasd the dificulty we found in Gaining a knowledge of their Theology

Besides religion the Practise of Physick & the knowledge of Navigation & Astronomy is in the Possession of the Preists. The name indeed of preist Tahowa signifies a Man of Knowledge so that even here the Preists Monopolize the greatest part of the Learning of the Countrey in much the same manner as they formerly did in Europe the practise of which gains them profit as well as respect each in his particular order for each order has preists of its own nor will the preists of the Manahounies do any thing for a Toutou who is below them in rank

Marriage is these Islands no more than an agreement between the man & the woman totaly independent of the preist it is in general I beleive pretty well kept unless they agree to seperate, which is done

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