296 THE CORAL LANDS OF THE PACIFIC. 



* 



Frequently he would not answer a word till the repast was 

 finished and the Jcava also. "When he did speak, he would 

 begin in a very low and unnatural voice, which used gradually 

 to rise to its natural pitch, and now and again a little above it. 

 All that he said was supposed to be the inspiration of the god, 

 and he spoke in the first person as if he were the god. 



All this was done generally without any apparent emotion, 

 but sometimes his countenance became fierce and his whole 

 frame agitated with inward feeling : he was seized with a 

 universal trembling, the perspiration would break out on his 

 forehead, and his lips, turning black, become convulsed. At 

 length "tears would start in floods from his eyes, his breast 

 would heave with the most profound emotion, and his utter- 

 ance become choked. Then these symptoms would gradually 

 subside. It should be mentioned, however, on the authority 

 of Mariner and other writers, that before the paroxysm came 

 on, he would eat as much as four hungry men could possibly 

 devour. The fit having gone off, he would remain for a time 

 calm, and then take up a club that was placed by him for the 

 purpose, and regard it attentively ; he would look to the left, 

 and then to the right, then suddenly raising the club, he would, 

 after a moment's pause, strike the ground : immediately the 

 god was supposed to leave him, and he would rise up and 

 retire to the people at the back of the king. 



There was no assumed agitation for the purposes of popular 

 deception on the part of these Tongan priests. It was the 

 result of a strong effort of the will, and the mind thus given 

 to a certain defined course of action controlled the whole body. 

 The records of every religion bear a common testimony to the 

 truth of these religious phenomena, and they range from the 

 visions of St. Paul, or the ecstasies of St. Bonaventure, down 

 to the ' waltzing around ' of American shakers. 



