THEPACIFIG OCEAN. 40^ 



nor circumcifed, as all his fubie(5ls are. Whenever he '777- 



July. 



walks out, every one whom he meets mull fit down till he 

 has paiTed. No one is allowed to be over his head ; on the 

 contrary, all muft come under his feet ; for there cannot 

 be a greater outward mark of fubmiflion, than that which 

 is paid to the fovereign, and other great people of thefe 

 illands, by their inferiors. The method is this ; the perfon 

 •who is to pay obeifance, fquats down before the Chief, 

 and bows the head to the fole of his foot; which, when he 

 fits, is fo placed, that it can be eafily come at ; and, having 

 tapped, or touched it with the under and upper fide of the 

 fingers of both hands, he rifes up, and i-etires. It fliould 

 feem, that the king cannot refufe any one who choofes to 

 pay him this homage, which is called moe moea ; for the 

 common people would frequently take it into their heads to 

 do it when he was walking ; and he was always obliged to 

 Hop, and hold up one of his feet behind him, till they had 

 performed the ceremony. This, to a heavy unwieldy man, 

 like Poulaho, muft be attended with fome trouble and pain; 

 and I have, fometimes, feen him make a run, though very 

 unable, to get out of the way, or to reach a place where he 

 might conveniently lit down. The hands, after this appli- 

 cation of them to the Chief's feet, are, in fome cafes, ren- 

 dered ufelefs for a time ; for, until they be wafhed, they 

 mull not touch any kind of food. This interdi(5lion, in a 

 country where water is fo fcarce, would feem to be attend- 

 ed with fome inconvenience ; but they are never at a lofs 

 for a fuccedaneum; and a piece of any juicy plant, which 

 they can eafily procure immediately, being rubbed upon 

 them, this ferves for the purpofe of purification, as well as 

 walhing them with water. When the hands are in this llate. 

 Vol. I, 3 G they 



