34 



A VOYAGE TO 



•777- The body was then carried a little way, with its head toward 



September. i • i r i i 



" ' the niorai, and laid under a tree ; near which Were hxcd three 



broad thin pieces of wood, differently, but rudely, carved. 

 The bundles of cloth were laid on a part of the moral ; and 

 the tufts of red feathers were placed at the feet of the fa- 

 crificc ; round which the priefts took their ftations ; and 

 wc were now allowed to go as near as we pleafcd. He who 

 fecmed to be the chief pricll fat at a fmall diflance, and 

 fpoke for a quarter of an hour, but wirh different tones 

 and gellures; fo that he fcemed often to expoftulate with 

 the dead perfon, to whom he conRantly addreffed himfelf ; 

 and, fometimes, afked feveral qucflions, feemingly with re- 

 fpecfl to the propriety of his having been killed. At other 

 times, he made feveral demands, as it the dcceafed cither 

 now had power himfelf, or intereft with the Divinity, to 

 engage him to comply with fuch requefts. Amongft which, 

 we underftood, he alked him to deliver Eimeo, Maheine its 

 chief, the hogs, women, and other things of the illand, 

 into their hands ; which was, indeed, the exprcfs inten- 

 tion of the facrilice. He then chanted a prayer, which laft- 

 cd near half an hour, in a whining, melancholy tone, ac- 

 companied by two other priefts; and in which Potarou, and 

 fomc others, joined, hi the courfe of this prayer, fonie 

 more liair was plucked by a pricft from the head of tlie 

 corpfc, and put upon one of the bundles. After this, the 

 chief pricfl; prayed alone, holding in his liand the feathers 

 which came from Towha. When he had fmilhcd, he gave 

 them to another, who prayed in like manner. Then all 

 the tufts of feathers were laid upon the bundles of cloth i 

 which tlofed the ceremony at this place. 



The corpfc was tlicn carried up to the mod confpicuous 

 part of the tiwra'i, with the feathers, the two bundles of 

 X cloth 



