556 



RELIGION, 



\ 



REMARKS 



ON 



THE 



to dread the anger and difpleafure of a being whofe power k 



y 



finitely fuperior to that of any other they have an idea of 



After the birth of a child, they do 



obferve any ceremonies 



whatever, excepting that of depreffing in fome deg 



nofe. 



r 



and giving it a name from fome objed; or other which is nearefl 

 at hand, or which from fome circumftance becomes remarkable. 

 The king of Taheitee was called 0-Too, which is the name of a grey 

 heron: the chief of theille of St. Chriftina, one of the Marquefa- 

 iflands, was called AhhnoOy which lignifies a turtle j one of the chiefs 



Taheitee related 



0-Too was called 'Te'^hee the foul or a carved 



figure,' which i^ the fymbol or emblem of the foul. The chief of 

 the province of Tittahaw had the name of T^oumata-roa 2i great hat, 

 and many more of that nature, much too tedious to mention. 



t 



However in this early period of life, the male children undergo a 

 ceremony or operation on their genitals, for a piece of bamboo reed 

 is thruft into the prepuce, and the membrane flit by means of 

 another bamboo-reed,, (to which a very fharp edge is given by tearing 

 it) in order to prevent its contrafting over and covering the glans. 

 This operation is performed merely from principles of cleanlinefs, 

 by the prieft, though there is not any religion or religious ceremony 



w 



mixed with the cuftom;. for which reafon it is not perfomed on a 

 certain day after the birth of the child, 



but when the child is capable of attending 



h 



3 



nor at any 



age 



T — 



that the prepuce 



may 



