THE CAROLINE ISLANDS. 197 



not eaten, but deposited in the temple. To pre- 

 pare for these offerings, the people remain assem- 

 bled, and without communication, for a month in 

 the temple, where their food is handed to them 

 from without. Every one consecrates the first 

 piece of all the fruit and fish which he eats during 

 the time, in tlie above manner, and then throws 

 it away, without having tasted it. Neither songs 

 nor dances take place in the temple. This solem- 

 nity is alternately for one month in one territory, 

 and on the following in another. Kadu, being a 

 stranger, did not attend the solemnities in the 

 temples. He never went into them. Access to 

 the temple is forbidden to every one, out of the 

 time of offering, except to the chief or priest, 

 (^Matamat,) 



Rongala has no temples at Feis. But there are 

 times at whicii he descends on the island, and is 

 invisibly present in the wood. At that time, the 

 people are not allowed to speak or tread loud j 

 they then approach the forest, dyed with Cur- 

 cuma, and adorned as for a festival. 



We will communicate faithfully, and in detail, 

 the mythology of Ulea, according to Don Luis de 

 Torres. Cantova, whom w^e beg to be allowed to 

 compare here, relates the descent of the gods, 

 almost in the same manner, and a little more cir- 

 cumstantially. The pleasing fable of Olifat is 

 entirely new. 

 Three persons are worshipped in heaven, Aluelap, 

 o 3 



