1777* . THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 457 



their mythology, was never seen by any person; and 

 yet, it seems, they know that it lies to the westward 

 of Feejee; and that they who are once transported 

 thither, live for ever; or, to use their own expression, 

 are not subject to death again; but feast upon all 

 the favourite products of their own country, with 

 which this everlasting abode is supposed to abound. 

 As to the souls of the lower sort of people, they 

 undergo a sort of transmigration; or, as they say, 

 are eaten up by a bird called loata, which walks upon 

 their graves for that purpose. 



I think I may venture to assert, that they do not 

 worship any thing that is the work of their own 

 hands, or any visible part of the creation. They do 

 not make offerings of hogs, dogs, and fruit, as at 

 Otaheite, unless it be emblematically ; for their 

 morals were perfectly free from every thing of the 

 kind. But that they offer real human sacrifices, 

 is with me beyond a doubt. Their morals or 

 Jiatookas (for they are called by both names, but 

 mostly by the latter), are, as at Otaheite and many 

 other parts of the world, burying-grounds, and 

 places of worship ; though some of them seemed to 

 be only appropriated to the first purpose ; but these 

 were small, and in every other respect inferior to 

 the others. 



Of the nature of their government, we know no 

 more than the general outline. A subordination 

 is established among them, that resembles the 

 feudal system of our progenitors in Europe. But 

 of its subdivisions, of the constituent parts, and in 

 what manner they are connected, so as to form a 

 body politic, I confess myself totally ignorant. 

 Some of them told us that the power of the king is 

 unlimited, and that the life and property of the 

 subject is at his disposal. But the few circum- 

 stances that fell under our observation, rather con- 

 tradicted than confirmed the idea of a despotic 



