THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 161 



the objects of it, from feeing two of thefe .birds tame at the '779- 



village of Kakooa, which they told me were Eatooas ; and, < « — J 



refuting every thing I offered for them, cautioned me, at 

 the fame time, not to hurt or offend them. 



Amongft their religious ceremonies, may be reckoned the 

 prayers and offerings made by the priefts before their meals. 

 Whilft the ava is chewing, of which they always drink be- 

 fore they begin their repaft, the perfon of the higheft rank 

 takes the lead in a fort of hymn, in which he is prefently 

 joined by one, two, or more of the company ; the reft mov- 

 ing their bodies, and ftriking their hands gently together, 

 in concert with the fingers. When the ava is ready, cups of 

 it are handed about to thofe who do not join in the fong, 

 which they keep in their hands till it is ended ; when, unit- 

 ing in one loud refponfe, they drink off their cup. The 

 performers of the hymn are then ferved with ava, who 

 drink it after a repetition of the fame ceremony ; and, if 

 there be prefent one of a very fuperior rank, a cup is, lafl 

 of all, prefented to him, which, after chanting fome time 

 alone, and being anfwered by the reft, and pouring a little 

 out on the ground, he drinks off. A piece of the flefli that 

 is dreffed, is next cut off, without any fclcction of the part 

 of the animal ; which, together with fome of the vegetables, 

 being depofited at the foot of the image of the Ratooa, and a 

 hymn chanted, their meal commences. A ceremony of 

 much the fame kind is alio performed by the Chiefs, when- 

 ever they drink ava, between their meals. 



Human facrifkes are more frequent here, according to 

 the account of the natives themfelves, than in any other 

 iflands we vifited. Thefe horrid rites are not only had re- 

 courfe to upon the commencement of war, and preceding 



Vol. III. Y great 



