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such membership meant a singular freedom from the 

 tabus, prohibitions, that had forbidden her eating with 

 men, tasting pig, and other delicacies. She became the 

 equal and companion of these most interesting of her 

 race, and talent in herself received due honor. She 

 sacrificed her children for a career, as is done to-day less 

 bloodily. 



Believers in the immortality of the soul, the Arioi im- 

 agined a heaven suited to their own wishes. They 

 called it Rohutu noa-noa, or Fragrant Paradise. In it 

 all were in the first flush of virility, and enjoyed the good 

 things promised the faithful by Mohammed. The road 

 to this abode of houris and roasted pig was not to be trod 

 in sackcloth or in ashes, but in wreaths and with gaily 

 colored bodies. To the sound of di*ums and of flutes 

 they were to dance and sing for the honor of their merry 

 god, Oro, and after a lifetime of joy and license, of de- 

 nial of nothing, unless it hurt their order, they were to 

 die to an eternity of celestial riot. 



As old as the gods was the society of the Arioi, said 

 the Tahitians. Oro, the chief god, took a human wife, 

 and descended on a rainbow to her home. He spent his 

 nights with her, and every morning returned to the 

 heavens. Two of his younger brothers searched for him, 

 and lacking wedding presents, one transformed himself 

 into a pig and a bunch of red feathers. The other pre- 

 sented these, and though they remained with the wedded 

 pair, the brother took back his own form. Oro, to re- 

 ward them, made them gods and Arioi. Ever after a 

 pig and red feathers were ofiPerings to the idol of Oro 

 by the Arioi. The brothers formed the society and 

 named the charter members of it in different islands, 



