THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 39 



fume. The facriliced pig, and its liver, 6'^. were now put g^'^^^^.^^ 

 upon the ivhatta, where the dog had been depofited the day > — ■% — -^ 

 before; and then all the feathers, except the ollrich plume, 

 were inclofed with the Eatooa, in the ark ; and the folemnity 

 finally clofed. 



Four double canoes lay upon the beach, before the place of 

 facrifice, all. the morning. On the fore-part of each of thefe, 

 was fixed a fmall platform, covered with palm-leaves, tied 

 in myfterious knots ; and this alfo is called a moraL Some 

 cocoa-nuts, plantains, pieces of bread-fruit, fifh, and other 

 things, lay upon each of thefe naval viorais. We were told', 

 that they belonged to the Eaiooa ; and that they were to at- 

 tend the fleet defigned to go againfl: Eimeo. 



The unhappy vicflim, offered to the objetfl of their worfliip 

 upon thisoccafion, feemed to be a middle-aged man ; and, as 

 we were told, was a toivtozv; that is, one of tlie lowed clafs of 

 the people. But, after all my inquiries, I could not learn, 

 that he had been pitched upon, on account of any particular 

 crime, committed by him, meriting death. It is certain,, 

 however, -that they generally make choice of fuch guilty 

 perfons for their facrifices ; or clfe of common, low, fel- 

 lows, who (Iroll about, from place to place, and from ifland 

 to ifland, without having any fixed abode, or any vifible way 

 of getting an honeft livelihood; of which defcription of men,, 

 enough are to be met with at. thefe iflands. Having had an 

 opportunity of examining the appearance of the body of 

 the poor fuflerer, now offered up, I could obferve, that it 

 was bloody about the head and face, and a good deal, bruifed- 

 •upon the right temple ; which marked the manner of his 

 being killed. And we were told, that he had been privately 

 knocked on the head with a flone.. 



Thofe: 



