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539 



Their prefent fyflem of religion is a polytheifm, which may be religion. 



called one of 



befl and leaft exceptionable as yet known 



The 



name Eatooa, admits a very great latitude in its interpretation ; for 

 though it properly fignifies a Divinity, it may likewife be interpreted 



a Genius 



However they admit a Being whom, they 



call 



Eatooa-rahai, which is the fupreme D^-Z/y above all. Each of the 

 ifles furrounding Taheitee, has its peculiar god, or as we may 

 juftly call it, its tutelar Divinity. Taheitee is under the peculiar 



J _ 



guidance and government of Orua-hAttoo; over Huaheine 

 prefides TAne ; over O-Raiedea Oroo : over O-Taha Orra; 

 Borabora has its Taootoo ; Maurooa its Otoo; and in Tabua- 

 manoo Taroa is the chief god. This is always the Divinity 

 whom the high prieil of each ifle addrefTes in his prayers at the 

 grand Marai of the prince of that ifland. The great Deity they 

 think to be the prime caufe of all divine and human beings 

 and as this nation has introduced every where the idea of generation, 

 ' it has applied the fyftem of generation to the origin of their inferior 

 Pivinities, and for that purpofe the natives thought it likewife 

 neceflary to attribute to the Eatooa-rahai, a being of the 

 female fex, from whofe conjundion all the inferior Eatooas, and 



X 



even mankind arc defcended ; and in this refpecft they call the great 



Deity Ta-roa-t'eay-eto6moo 



the 



gi' 



procreating flem: 



but his wife is not of the fame nature with him ; their grofs ideas 



Z z z 2 imagined 



