of three are not worse than the
rest and never give rise to intestine dissensions."[40] According to
Radiguet, the right of having more husbands than one was not general and
hardly belonged to any but chieftainesses,[41] but this limitation is
denied by a good authority.[42] The Russian navigator Lisiansky, who
visited the Marquesas in 1804, seems to have supposed that the custom
was restricted to wealthy families. He says: "In rich families, every
woman has two husbands; of whom one may be called the assistant husband.
This last, when the other is at home, is nothing more than the head
servant of the house; but, in case of absence, exercises all the rights
of matrimony, and is also obliged to attend his lady wherever she goes.
It happens sometimes, that the subordinate partner is chosen after
marriage; but in general two men present themselves to the same woman,
who, if she approves their addresses, appoints one for the real husband,
and the other as his auxiliary: the auxiliary is generally poor, but
handsome and well-made."[43]

[38] C. S. Stewart, _op. cit._ i. 317.

[39] Melville, _Typee_, pp. 203 _sq._

[40] Clavel, _op. cit._ p. 60.

[41] Radiguet, _op. cit._ 173.

[42] Mathias G----, _op. cit._ p. 111.

[43] Lisiansky, _op. cit._ p. 83. As to polyandry in the
Marquesas, see further E. Westermarck, _History of Human
Marriage_, Fifth Edition (London, 1921), iii. 146 _sqq._

Another peculiar habit of the Marquesans was to give away their children
to be adopted by other people soon after their birth. When a woman was
pregnant, she and her husband would discuss to whom they should give the
child that was about to be born. They received offers from neighbours,
and often knocked down the infant to the highest bidder; for the
adopting parents regularly made presents to the child's family,
consisting of cloth, tools, and pigs, according to the fortune of the
contracting parties. After birth the child remained with its mother for
some months till it was weaned, upon which it was sent away to its
parents by adoption, who might inhabit a different district and even a
different island. It is said to have been exceptional for parents to
bring up their own offspring.[44]

[44] Eyriaud des Vergnes, _op. cit._ pp. 19 _sq._; Clavel, _op.
cit._ pp. 56, 61 _sq._

Another mode by which the Marquesans created artificial relationships
was the exchange of names. Such an exchange was eq