1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. o<J5 



We found that they stopped before amor ai orjiatooka* 

 of one house standing upon a mount, which was 

 hardly a quarter of a mile from the place where they 

 first assembled. Here we observed them depositing 

 the yams, and making them up into bundles ; but 

 for what purpose, we could not learn. And, as our 

 presence seemed to give them uneasiness, we left 

 them and returned to Poulaho, who told us we might 

 amuse ourselves by walking about, as nothing would 

 be done for some time. The fear of losing any part 

 of the ceremony, prevented our being long absent. 

 When we returned to the king, he desired me to 

 order the boat's crew not to stir from the boat ; for, 

 as every thing would very soon be taboo, if any of 

 our people, or of their own, should be found walking 

 about, they would be knocked down with clubs ; 

 nay, mateed, that is, killed. He also acquainted us, 

 that we could not be present at the ceremony ; but 

 that we should be conducted to a place where we 

 might see every thing that passed. Objections were 

 made to our dress. We were told that, to qualify 

 us to be present, it was necessary that w 7 e should be 

 naked as low as the breast with our hats oflj and our 

 hair untied. Omai offered to conform to these re- 

 quisites, and began to strip ; other objections were 

 then started ; so that the exclusion was given to him 

 equally with ourselves. 



I did not much like this restriction ; and, therefore, 

 stole out to see what might now be going forward. 

 I found very few people stirring except those dressed 

 to attend the ceremony ; some of whom had in their 

 hands small poles about four feet long, and to the 

 under part of these were fastened two or three other 

 sticks not bigger than one's finger, and about six 

 inches in length. These men were going toward 

 the morai just mentioned. I took the same road, 

 and was several times stopped by them, all crying 



* This is thtjiatovlici mentioned above by Mr. Anderson, p. 379. 



