402 



A VOYAGE TO 



1777- fides below the arm-pits, and through the cheeks into the 



July. 



mouth. All thefe operations convey an idea of fuch rigorous 

 difcipline, as muft require either an uncommon degree 

 of affedion, or the groireft fuperftition, to exadl. I will not 

 fay, that the laft has no fliare in it ; for, fometimes, it is fo 

 univerfal, that many could not have any knowledge of the 

 perfon for whom the concern is exprelfed. Thus we faw 

 the people of Tongataboo mourning the death of a Chief at 

 Vavaoo ; and other fimilar inftances occurred during our 

 ftay. It fliould be obferved, hov^ever, that the more pain- 

 ful operations are only praiTcifed on account of the death of 

 thofc mod nearly conncfted with the mourners. When a 

 perfon dies, he is buried, after being wrapped up in mats 

 and cloth, much after our manner. The Chiefs feem to 

 have the fiatookas appropriated to them as their burial- 

 places ; but the common people are interred in no parti- 

 cular fpot *. What part of the mourning ceremony follows, 

 immediately after, is uncertain ; but, that there is fome- 

 thing befides the general one, which is continued for a con- 

 fiderable length of time, we could infer, from being inform- 

 ed, that the funeral of INIareewagce's wife, as mentioned 

 before, was to be attended with ceremonies that were to 

 laft five days ; and in which all the principal people were to 

 commemorate her. 



Their long and general mourning, proves that they con- 

 fider death as a very great evil. And this is confirmed by a 



* Cantova's account of the practice of the Caroline Iflands is as follov/s : " Lorl- 

 " qu'il nneurt quelque perfonne d'un rang diftingue, ou qui leur eft chere par d'autres. 

 " endroits, fes obftques fe font avec pompe. II y en a qui renferment le corps du 

 " defunfl; dans un petit edifice de pierre, qu'iis gardent au-dedans de icur maifons, 

 " D'autfcs lesenterrent loin de leurs habitations." 



Lettrcs Edif antes b' Curieufes, Tom. xv. p. 308, 300, 



very 



