168 VOYAGE TO THE 



CHAP 

 V. 



Jan. 



evident that these people were not regardless of the 

 anatomy of the figure. It was placed in an upright 

 1826. position on the trough or manger, and fastened by 

 the extremities to the side of the hut : the head was 

 bound with a piece of white cloth, as were also the 

 loins, and those parts which the natives themselves 

 never conceal, the aged excepted. In the trough 

 beneath the image were several paddles, mats, coils 

 of line, and cloth, offerings which had been made to 

 the deity ; and at his feet was placed a calabash, 

 which the natives said contained water " avy" On 

 each side of the image was a stand, having three 

 carved arms, to the hands of which several articles 

 were suspended, such as carved cocoa-nut shells, and 

 pieces of bamboo, perhaps musical instruments ; but 

 Mr. Belcher abstained from trespassing on this sacred 

 ground, for fear of giving offence to the natives, who 

 did not much like this exercise of curiosity. Indeed, 

 the whole time he was there, the women were anx- 

 ious to get him away, and the men looked serious, 

 and were very glad when he left the place. The 

 females accompanied him to the threshold of the 

 morai ; but the men studiouslv avoided treading 

 upon the sacred pavement, and knelt down the whole 

 time he was there, without, however, any apparent 

 devotion. Mr. Belcher endeavoured to purchase this 

 idol ; but valuable as his offers must have been to 

 these poor people, the temptation did not prove 

 sufficient. Another image about the same size was 

 found upon one of the coral islands of the groupe, 

 clothed in the same way, but more rudely carved, 

 and deficient in the offerings above-mentioned. 



