1777* THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 31 



taking on board a priest who was to assist at the so- 

 lemnity. 



As soon as we landed at Attahooroo, which was 

 about two o'clock in the afternoon, Otoo expressed 

 his desire that the seamen might be ordered to re- 

 main in the boat ; and that Mr. Anderson, Mr. 

 Webber, and myself, might take off our hats, as soon 

 as we should come to the moral, to which we im- 

 mediately proceeded, attended by a great many men 

 and some boys ; but not one woman. We found 

 four priests, and their attendants or assistants, wait- 

 ing for us. The dead body, or sacrifice, was in a 

 small canoe that lay on the beach, and partly in the 

 wash of the sea, fronting the moral. Two of the 

 priests, with some of their attendants, were sitting 

 by the canoe ; the others at the moral. Our company 

 stopped about, twenty or thirty paces from the 

 priests. Here Otoo placed himself; we, and a few 

 others, standing by him ; while the bulk of the peo- 

 ple remained at a greater distance. 



The ceremonies now began. One of the priest's 

 attendants brought a young plantain tree, and laid it 

 down before Otoo. Another approached with a small 

 tuft of red feathers, twisted on some fibres of the 

 cocoa-nut-husk, with which he touched one of the 

 king's feet, and then retired with it to his com- 

 panions. One of the priests, seated at the moral, 

 lacing those w T ho were upon the beach, now began a 

 long prayer ; and, at certain times, sent down young 

 plantain-trees, which were laid upon the sacrifice. 

 During this prayer, a man, who stood by the offi- 

 ciating priest, held in his hands two bundles, seem- 

 ingly of cloth. In one of them, as we afterwards 

 found, was the royal maro ; and the other, if I may 

 be allowed the expression, was the ark of the Eatooa. 

 As soon as the prayer was ended, the priests at the 

 moral, with their attendants, went and sat down by 

 those upon the beach, carrying with them the two 

 bundles. Here they renewed their prayers j during 



