170 ETHNOGRAPHY. 



Islands, which lie exactly under the line, the months had no name, 

 but were merely numbered first, second, third, and so on up to ten, 

 when they recommenced, thus losing every distinction of seasons or 

 years. 



A comparison of the foregoing lists will show that the Tahitians 

 derived their names for the months from the Samoans, and the Ha- 

 waiians from the Tahitians. Afu, in Samoa, means " perspiration," 

 andfaa-afu must therefore mean "causing to perspire," a name suffi- 

 ciently applicable to their February, which answers to our August. 

 In the Sandwich Islands, however, whether because the meaning in 

 that hemisphere was no longer suitable, or for some other reason, it 

 was changed to Matalii, or the Pleiades, by whose rising the natives 

 of Polynesia determine the commencement of their year. Between 

 Faaahu and Aununu, Mr. Ellis gives two names, Pipiri and Taaoa, 

 but it would appear that the latter is the intercalary month, which 

 is inserted or omitted at pleasure. Forster, in his list, makes it 

 answer to August, which accords with the Hawaiian Taaona, no 

 doubt the same word. 



Palolo, in Samoan, is the name of a kind of sea-worm which makes 

 its appearance in shoals in the reefs, at a certain period of the year, 

 and is esteemed a great delicacy by the natives. This worm is not 

 known at the Society Islands, but the name is still retained, with no 

 meaning whatever attached to it, a striking evidence of the deriva- 

 tion of the Tahitians from Samoa.* The word Muriaha in Tahitian 

 is an alteration of Murihd, which was in use when Forster was at 

 Tahiti ; this has been caused by the custom of te pi, for which see 

 the Comparative Grammar, $81. In the Hawaiian we observe a 

 number of corruptions. Welehu is evidently the same as the Tahitian 

 Avarehu ; Tamahoe is probably from the Samoan Taumafa, and pos- 



* There is some obscurity with respect to the use of this term in Samoan. The two 

 months called Palolo-mua and Palolo-muli, are June and July, but the animal does not 

 make its appearance till October and November. In the Feejee Islands, where it is also 

 found, the last-named months are called Mbalolo-lailai and Mbalolo-levu, or, little and 

 great Mbalolo. It seems probable that at a former period the name Palolo was applied 

 in Samoan to these months, and that for some unknown reason, perhaps connected with 

 their superstitions, the term was shifted to another part of the year, and its place supplied 

 by taumqfa, which means to eat, in the language appropriated to chiefs. This must 

 have happened before the departure of the Tahitian colonists. For a description of the 

 Mbalolo, and the ceremonies which take place on its appearance at the Feejee Islands, 

 see page 67. 



