A VOYAGE TO 



»779' covered with red cloth, appeared to be in greater eftimation 



January. 



than the reft. Before this figure he proftrated himfelf, and 

 kifTed it, defiring Captain Cook to do the fame; whofuffered 

 himfelf to be directed by Koah throughout the whole of 

 this ceremony. 



We were now led back into the other divifion of the Morale 

 where there was a fpace, ten or twelve feet fquare, funk 

 about three feet below the level of the area. Into this we 

 defcended, and Captain Cook was feated between two 

 wooden idols, Koah fupporting one of his arms, whilft I 

 was defired to fupport the other. At this time, arrived a 

 fecond procefTion of natives, carrying a baked hog, and a 

 pudding, fomc bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, and other vege- 

 tables. When they approached us, Kaireekeea put himfelf 

 at their head, and prefenting the pig to Captain Cook in 

 the ufual manner, began the fame kind of chant as be. 

 fore, his companions making regular refponfes. We ob- 

 ferved, that after every refponfe, their parts became gra- 

 dually fhorter, till, toward the clofe, Kaireekeea's confided 

 of only two or three words, which the reft anfwered by the 

 word Orono. 



When this offering was concluded, which lafted a quarter 

 of an hour, the natives fat down, fronting us, and began 

 to cut up the baked hog, to peel the vegetables, and break 

 ihe cocoa-nuts; whilil others employed themfelves in brew- 

 ing the ai'a; which is done, by chewing it in the fame 

 manner as at the Friendly Iflands. Kaireekeea then took 

 part of the kernel of a cocoa-nut, which he chewed, and 

 wrapping it in a piece of cloth, rubbed with it the Captain's 

 race, head, hands, arms, and moulders. The ava was 

 3 then 



