THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 165: 



tual ; as tliey are neither married, nor are their embraces ^'777- 



' ^ December;. 



fuppofed to be the fume as with corporeal beings. 



Some of their notions about the deity, are extravagantly 

 abfurd. They believe, that he is fubjecft to the power of 

 thofe very fpirits to whom he has given exiftence ; and that, 

 in their turn, they frequently eat or devour him, though he 

 pofTefs the power of re-creating himfelf. They, doubtlefs, 

 ufe this mode of expreflion, as they feem incapable of con- 

 verfing about immaterial things, without conftantly refer- 

 ring to material objects to convey their meaning. And in 

 this manner they continue the account, by faying, tliar, in 

 the tourooa, the deity inquires, if they intend, or not, to de- 

 flroy him ? And that he is not able to aker their determination. 

 This is known to the inhabitants on earth, as well as to the 

 fpirits ; for when the moon is in its wane, it is faid, that 

 they arc then devouring their Eatooa ; and that, as it in- 

 creafes, he is renewing himfelf. And to this accident, nor 

 only the inferior, but the moft eminent gods are liable. 

 They alfo believe, that there are other places for the re- 

 ception of fouls at death. Thus, thofe who are drowned in 

 t^ie fea, remain there ; where they think that there is a fme 

 country, houfes, and every thing that can make them 

 happy. Cut what is more fingular, they maintain, that not 

 only all other animals, but trees, fruit, and even flones, 

 have fouls, which at death, or upon being confumcd or 

 broken, afcend to the divinity, with whom they fufl rnix, 

 and afterward pafs into the manfion allotted to each. 



They imagine, that their puncflual performance of reli- 

 gious oflices procures for them every temporal blefling. 

 And as they believe, that the animating and powerful influ- 

 ence of the divine fpirit is every where diilufed, it is no 



wondei: 



