1779. the PAcrFrc ocean. 147 



uncle of Kaireekeea ; which last presided, during the 

 absence of his grandfather, in all religious ceremonies 

 at the MoraL It was also remarked, that the child 

 of Omeeah, an only son, about five years old, was 

 never suffered to appear without a number of attend- 

 ants, and such other marks of care and solicitude, as 

 we saw no other like instance of. This seemed to 

 indicate, that his life was an object of the greatest 

 moment, and that he was destined to succeed to the 

 high rank of his father. 



It has been mentioned, that the title of Orono, with 

 all its honours, was given to Captain Cook ; and it is 

 also certain, that they regarded us, generally, as a 

 race of people superior to themselves ; and used often 

 to say, that great JEatooa dwelled in our country. 

 The little image, which we have before described, as 

 the favourite idol on the Moral in Karakakooa Bay, 

 they call Koonooraekalee, and said it was Terreeoboo's 

 god ; and that he also resided amongst us. 



There are found an infinite variety of these images, 

 both on the Morals, and within and without their 

 houses, to which they gave different names ; but it 

 soon became obvious to us in how little estimation 

 they were held, from their frequent expressions of 

 contempt of them, and from their even offering them 

 to sale for trifles. At the same time, there seldom 

 failed to be some one particular figure in favour, to 

 which, whilst this performance lasted, all their 

 adoration was addressed. This consisted in arraying 

 it in red cloth ; beating their drums, and singing 

 hymns before it ; laying bunches of red feathers, and 

 different sorts of vegetables, at its feet ; and exposing 

 a pig, or a dog, to rot on the xvhatta that stood 

 near it. 



In a bay to the southward of Karakakooa, a party 

 of our gentlemen were conducted to a large house, 

 in which they found the black figure of a man, rest- 

 ing on his fingers and toes, with his head inclined 

 backward ; the limbs well formed and exactly pro- 



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