334 AUSTRALASIAN AND POLYNESIAN 
great favour—life or land—was sought, it was wonderful how 
close the relationship was made to appear ; but when a grudge 
had to be paid off, the sins (blood-shedding) of that branch of the 
clan were alone remembered. 
Each tribe had its own god or gods,* its own marae or maraes 
(groves for worship), its own prayers and incantations, and its 
own songs. Even in the matter of clothing there were special 
differences. I have seen a man stripped naked for presuming to 
wear the garments of another tribe. The meek defence was that 
his grandmother was a member of the said tribe. Thus the will 
of the individual counted for nothing, or next to nothing, in 
heathen times. 
There is one head chief, many subordinate ones. The office 
and power of chief is usually passed on to the brother, but when 
all the brothers were dead, would be transmitted to the eldest 
born of the eldest male branch of the ruling family (‘te kiko 
mua”). Whenever this individual was deficient in intellect or 
courage, the tribal oracle was sure to declare that the god had 
taken up his abode in another (generally speaking, the youngest 
male) member of the ruling family. This divinely-favoured 
individual was then duly installed, and the entire tribe compelled 
to obey, as there could be no appeal from the word of the priest 
when inspired, for it was the fiat of the gods. On the island of 
Mangaia ‘“ Barima” was not the representative of the eldest 
branch of the tribe of Tané, but he was undoubtedly the fittest 
man, specially selected, it was averred, out of his family by the 
god Tane-i-te-ata. Primogeniture was the rule, selection by the 
god the exception. The kingly oftice mzght descend in the female 
line; and this of necessity, as the males were so generally slain. 
But the male line would invariably be preferred. 
The duties of a tribal chief were (1) to adjust disputes, (2) to 
confirm or lay aside wills (vvd@ voce wills, of course), (3) to lead 
in battle, (4) to preside at all tribal work or feasting, (5) to 
provide at all points for the well-being of the clan, and (6) not 
the least important of a chief’s duties was to consult or worship 
the gods, on his own behalf as chief and on behalf of the tribe. 
On Mangaia every high chief must worship Rongo, god of war and 
ruler of the invisible world. But there would be also his own 
private god, who must be duly honoured in the daily concerns of 
life. The worship of Rongo was reserved for great occasions, the 
making of war or peace, the selection of human sacrifices for the 
ratification of all degrees of chieftainship, &c. Summoned by 
the king, as high-priest of Rongo, all tribal chiefs were bound 
to attend, with a few followers, on behalf of their respective clans 
The state was conceived of as a long dwelling standing east and 
west; the chiefs of the southern (right) side of the island 
* The tribe of Ngariki worshipped Rongo, Ruler of Night, i.e, the invisible world, and 
Motoro, one of the gods of “ Day,” or this upper and visible world. 
