THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 25 



When we began to fill up the grave, they approached it with Fe Y r 7 u s a ; . 

 great reverence, threw in a dead pig, fome cocoa-nuts, and 1 — -v-.- ; 

 plantains ; and, for three nights afterward, they furrounded 

 it, facrificing hogs, and performing their ufual ceremonies 

 of hymns and prayers, which continued till day-break. 



At the head of the grave, we erected a poll, and nailed 

 upon it a fquare piece of board, on which was inferibed the 

 name of the deceafed, his age, and the day of his death. 

 This they promifed not to remove j and we have no doubt, 

 but that it will be fuffered to remain, as long as the frail 

 materials, of which it is made, will permit. 



The (hips being in great want of fuel, the Captain de- 

 fired me, on the 2d of February, to treat with the priefls, for Tuefdayi: 

 the purchafe of the rail, that furrounded the top of the 

 Morai. I mult confefs, I had, at firft, fome doubt about the 

 decency of this propofal, and was apprehenfive, that even 

 the bare mention of it might be confidcred, by them, as a 

 piece of (hocking impiety. In this, however, I found niy- 

 ielf miftaken. Not the fmalleft furprize was exprefTed ac 

 the application, and the wood was readily given, even with- 

 out flipulating for any thing in return. Whilfl the failors 

 were taking it away, I obferved one of them carrying off a 

 carved image ; and, on further inquiry, I found, that they 

 had conveyed to the boats the whole * femicircle. Though 

 this was done in the prefence of the natives, who had not 

 (hewn any mark of refentment at it, but had even aflifted 

 them in the removal, I thought it proper to fpeak to Kaoo, 

 on the fubjeeT: ; who appeared very indifferent about the 

 matter, and only defired, that we would reftore the centre 



* See defcription of the Aftrai, in the preceding Chapter. 



Vol. III. E image, 



