140 SAMOAN GROUP. 



also considered unlucky ; if any one of a party sneezed on a journey, 

 their further progress was postponed. 



I was told that the Samoans have a great dread of being abroad in 

 the dark, and that when obliged to pass about their villages by night, 

 the}' use flambeaux made of the dried stalks of the cocoa-nut leaf to 

 light them on their way. This fear is partly owing to superstition, 

 which makes them fearful of encountering some spirit or aitu with 

 which their imaginations people the groves, springs, rocks, trees, &c. 

 They are in the habit of occasionally making a feast for the king's 

 aitu, when a number of pigs are prepared, and a quantity of taro, 

 fruit, &c, is gathered. The portion for the aitu is placed near his 

 supposed dwelling-place, and the dependants and others enjoy them- 

 selves on the remainder. 



Thej^ were formerly in the habit of presenting their first fruits to 

 the aitus and chiefs. This custom still continues amonsr the heathen, 

 but the Christian party present theirs to the missionaries. The 

 ceremony usually takes place in January or February. In drinking 

 ava, the first cup was always presented to the gods. 



There is an account of a large lizard which dwells on the south 

 side of the island, and is worshipped as an aitu. The description 

 given of it makes it two fathoms long and as large round as a 

 cocoa-nut tree, with huge scales, and a mouth filled with sharp 

 teeth. It is said to dwell in a stream near Safata, into which 

 the natives frequently throw meat. Some of them declare that 

 they have seen him, and that he has dwelt there upwards of fifty 

 years. 



It is not remarkable, however, that they should have this tradition ; 

 and this circumstance affords an additional proof that they have had 

 frequent intercourse with the Tonga, or Friendly Islands, where a 

 similar tradition is spoken of in Mariner's Tonga Islands. 



Among their other superstitions is that of a malignant spirit that 

 resides in the vicinity of Apolima, in the shape of an enormous eel, 

 of from six to ten fathoms long, and large in proportion, which 

 attacks canoes and drags them down. 



A story is told that is said to have happened only a few years ago. 

 While two natives of Manono were swimming across the channel in 

 the reef, they were drowned in the sight of many others ; immediately 

 a large canoe was manned, and went in quest of them ; the crew of 

 this canoe encountered the monster, and wounded it. The canoe 



