Samoa, A Hundred Years Ago And Long Before by George Turner
page 115 of 222 (51%)
page 115 of 222 (51%)
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especially worthy of remark, as it was the Samoan method of _casting
lots_. If a number of people were unwilling to go a message or do a piece of work, they decided the matter by wheeling round the cocoa-nut to see to whom it turned its _face_, as they called it, when it rested. Sometimes they appealed to this lot, and fixed the charge of stealing on a person towards whom the _face_ of the cocoa-nut pointed. They had also a game of _hide-and-seek_, with the addition that those who hid tried to escape those who sought, and ran to a given post or mark. All who reached the post were counted towards making up the game. _Pitching_ small cocoa-nut shells to the end of a mat was a favourite amusement of the chiefs. They tried to knock each other's shells off the given spot. They played in parties of two and two, with five shells each. They who had most shells left on the place after all had thrown won. They had also _guessing_ sports. One party hid, the other bundled up one of their number in a large basket covered over with a mat or cloth. Then they too hid, all but three, who carried the basket to the other party for them to guess who was in it. If they guessed correctly, then they in turn got the basket to do the same. The successful guesses were counted for the game. They were in the habit of amusing themselves with _riddles_, of which the following are a specimen:-- "1. A man who continues standing out of doors with a burden on his |
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