86 AX ACCOUNT OF THE 



they have any, may traly be called the religion of ns- 

 ture. A belief of the exigence of forne powers more 

 than human cannot fail to be excited among the mofb 

 uncultivated of mankind, from the obfeivations of va- 

 rious fir; king natural phcenomena, fuch as the diurnal 

 revolution of ihe fun and moon ; thunder and light- 

 ning; earthquakes, &c. &c. nor will there ever be 

 wanting among them^ fome of fuperior talents and cun- 

 ning who will acquire an influence over weak minds, 

 by afTuming to themfelves an intereft with, or a power 

 of controuling thofe fuper-human agents ; and fuch 

 notions confiirate the religion of the inhabitants of the 

 Poggys, Sometimes a fowl and Ibmetimes a hog is fa- 

 crificed to avert ficknefs ; to appeafe the wrath of the 

 offended power, or to render it propitious to lome pro- 

 je6led enterprize : and Mr. Best was informed that 

 omens of good or ill fortune were drawn from certain 

 appearances in the entrails of the victim. But they 

 have no form of religious worfhip, nor do they appear 

 to have the moil diftant idea of a future flate of rewards 

 and punifhments. They do not pra6life circumcifion. 



The mode of difpofmg of their dead bears a refem- 

 blance to tliat of the Otalie'iians. Very fliortly after 

 death the corpfe is carried to a certain place appropri- 

 ated for the purpofe, where it is depoiited on a fort of 

 flage, called in their language Rali Ak'i ; it is drelled 

 with a few beads or fuch ornaments as the perfon was 

 accuftomed to wear in his life time, and after flrewing 

 a few leayes over it, tlie attendants leave the ground, 

 and proceed to tlie plantation of the deceafed, where 

 they fell a few trees of his planting, and return to 

 their homes. The corpfe is left to rot, and the bones 

 fall to the ground. 



Among a people whofe manners are fo fmiple 

 whofe wants are fo eafily fupplied, and whofe po/lel"-» 

 lions are fo circumfcribed, we are not to look for any 

 complex fyftem of juritprudence : indeed their code 

 of laws may be comprized in ii few lines, 



2 * TlI-EIR 



