Groups of Melanesian Islands. Connexion East and West. Discovery. Spanish, French, English Discoverers. Names of Islands, native and geographical. Identification. Condition on discovery. Native view of discoverers. Geology. Volcanos. Coral. Reef Islands. Lakes. Waterfalls. Zoology.
SOCIAL REGULATIONS. DIVISIONS OF THE PEOPLE. KINSHIP AND MARRIAGE CONNEXION.
Ethnology, Origin. Division of people into Exogamous Classes or Kindreds, with Succession through the Mother. No Tribes. Exception in Eastern Solomon Islands. Intercourse of sexes regulated and restricted. Incest. Guest-wives. Division into two Kins. Banks' Islands; Families, Adoption. New Hebrides. Question of Communal marriage. Testimony of language. Nearness of blood. Plural Divisions, Florida, Bugotu. Abomination, buto. Totems. Custom at Ulawa. Shifting predominance of Florida kema. Relation of sister's son and mother's brother. Banks' Island System of Relationship, in Kinship, Family, by Marriage. Pedigree of Mota family. Step-father. Terms of relationship in Florida. System where descent follows the Father. Reserve. Avoidance, in Banks' Islands. Disuse of Names as words. New Hebrides
Chiefs recognised by visitors. Their Power in Solomon Islands, Banks' Islands, and New Hebrides. Absence of History and Tradition. Remarkable exception at Sea. Origin of that settlement. Chiefs there. Hereditary element. Chiefs in Florida; in Banks' Islands. Alternation of predominance in Kindreds. Chiefs in New Hebrides, Lepers' Island
General agreement as to Property and Succession. Divisions of Land, Bush, Gardens, Town. Sale of Land. Property in Fruit-trees. Tendency to succession of son to father. Solomon Islands, Florida. Land and Personal property. Banks' Islands, Redemption of father's land, Sale of land, Wills. New Hebrides, Pentecost Island, Lepers' Island
Wide extent of Secret Societies in Melanesia., Difference from Australian Mysteries; no 'Making young men.' Social importances. Exclusion of women. Conspicuous feature in native life. Banks' Islands, Tamate, 'Ghosts'; masks; badges; lodges. Salagoro; hats; mysterious sounds; admission; seclusion of neophytes; license. Smaller Societies. Qatu; dance; initiation. New Hebrides, Aurora Island. Handiwork of 'ghosts.' Native account of Initiations. Dances. Pentecost Island. The Qeta. Solomon Islands, Florida. Matambala; origin; native account; downfall of the Mystery
Presence of these Societies conspicuous in Torres Islands, Banks' Islands, and New Hebrides. The Gamal, club-house; the Club, the Suqe. Ranks. Social importance. Banks' Islands, Mota. Images; hats. Santa Maria, Torres Islands. Admission and advance in rank; Method and forms. Feasts; dress. Women's Club. Kolekole; decorations. Charms; Feast of deliverance. New Hebrides, Aurora, Lepers' Island. Ranks and titles. Pentecost Island
Difficulty of the subject. Language of Natives and Europeans. Mana; stones; charms. Spirits and Ghosts distinguished by natives. Difference between religion of Eastern and Western Melanesia. Misuse of terms; 'god' and 'devil.' Banks' Islands, Spirits, vui. Solomon Islands, tindalo, Ghosts of worship. Example of Ganindo. Prayers and offerings
Offerings at meals to the Dead. Difference between Sacrifices in Eastern and Western Melanesia. Solomon Islands; Sacrifice to ghosts; example at San Cristoval. Florida sacrifices, public and private; first-fruits; for war; for crops. Human sacrifices. Seven sacrifices at Saa. San Cristoval; Substitution. Santa Cruz. Banks' Islands; Offerings to Spirits at stones; with money. Familiar spirits. New Hebrides, Aurora,
Pentecost, Lepers' Island, Ambrym
Prayers and Invocations. To Ghosts in Solomon Islands, Florida, San Cristoval, Sea. To Spirits in Banks' Islands, Motlav, Mota. Invocations at sea. New Hebrides
Little prominence of belief in Spirits in Solomon Islands. Kahausibware. Banks' Islands, vui. Native conceptions; two orders of spirits. Nopitu. Qat; Creation. Story and adventures of Qat; Marawa, Qasavara. Story of flood. Santa Cruz. New Hebrides. Tagaro and Supwe; Creation; Winged women. Changeling spirits
Madness believed to be possession by Spirits or Ghosts. Other forms of possession. Omens. Vampires. Tricks played by ghosts on men; by men with ghosts. Form of possession in Torres Islands. Tricks. Sneezing
Death. Soul called shadow. Native words translated soul, in Florida, Banks' Islands, New Hebrides. Ghosts, two classes. Burial customs in Florida and Bugotu. Hades; ship and bridge of the dead. San Cristoval, Sea-ghosts. Saa, ghosts; Hades; burial; relics; memorials. Santa Cruz. Torres Islands. Banks' Islands. Panoi. Origin of death; burial; driving away ghost; funeral feasts; death-days; state of the dead; judgment. Descents to Panoi. Aurora. Journey of the dead; funeral; death-meals. Lepers' Island. Origin of death; burial; Hades. Pentecost Island. Burying alive
I. Animal Stories.—1. Heron and Turtle. 2. Three Fish. 3. Rat and Rail. 4. Birds' Voyage. 5. Shark and Snake. 6. Hen and Chickens., II. Myths, Tales of Origins.—1. Kamakajaku. 2. Samuku. 3. The Mim. 4. Muesarava. 5. Tagaro's Departure. 6. How Tagaro made the Sea. 7. How Tagaro found Fish. 8. How the old Woman made the Sea. III. Wonder Tales.—I. Dilingavuv. 2. Story of an Eel. 3. Molgon and Molwor. 4. Ghost-wife. 5. Ganviviris. 6. The Little Orphan. 7. The Woman and Eel. 8. The Little Owl. 9. The Winged Wife. 10. Taso. 11. Betawerai. 12. Basi and Dovaowari. 13. Deitari. 14. Tarkeke. 15. The Woman and Ghost. 16. Tagaro the Little. 17. Merambuto and Tagaro