T H E P A C I F I C O C E A N. ^ 41 



There is here a very lar^e fcafFold, or what t a, on which the ^ '777^ 



JO ' September, 



ofFerings of fruits, and other vegetables, are laid. But the 

 animals are depofited on a fmaller one, already mentioned, 

 and the human facrifices are buried under different parts of 

 the pavement. There are feveral other reliques which igno- 

 rant fuperflition had fcattered about this place; fuch as fmall 

 flones, raifed in different parts of the pavement ; fome with 

 bits of cloth tied round them ; ethers covered with it ; and 

 upon the fide of the large pile, which fronts the area, are 

 placed a great many pieces of carved wood, which are fup- 

 pofed to be fometimes the refidence of their divinities, and, 

 confequently, held facred. But one place, more particular 

 than the reft, is a heap of itones, at one end of the large 

 ijuhatta, before which the facrifice was offered, with a kind 

 of platform at one fide. On this are laid the fculls of all the 

 human facrifices, which are taken up after they have been fe- 

 veral months under ground. Juft above them, are placed a 

 great number of the pieces of wood ; and it was alfo here, 

 where the maro, and the other bundle, fuppofed to contain the 

 god Ooro (and which I call the ark), were laid, during the ce- 

 remony ; a circumftance which denotes its agreement with 

 the altar of other nations. 



It is much to be regretted, that a pra(5licc fo horrid in its 

 own nature, and fo dcflrucftive of that inviolable right of 

 felf-prefervation, which every one is born with, fiiould be 

 found Hill exifting ; and (fuch is the power of fiiperftition 

 to counteraifl the firft principles of humanity !) exifting 

 amongfl; a people, in many other refpecls, emerged from 

 the brutal manners of favage life. What is ftill worfe, it is 

 probable, that thefe bloody rites of worfliip are prevalent 

 throughout all the wide extended iflands of the Pacific 

 Ocean. The iimilarity of cuftoms and language, which 



Vol. II. G our 



