100 CUSTOMS OF THE FEEJEE GROUP. 



friends bring tapas, mats, and oil, as presents. They are received as 

 at other funeral feasts, and all mourn together until the time for the 

 ceremony arrives. The aged person then proceeds to point out the 

 place where the grave is to be dug; and while some are digging it, 

 the others put on a new maro and turbans. When the grave is dug, 

 which is about four feet deep, the person is assisted into it, while the 

 relatives and friends begin their lamentations, and proceed to weep 

 and cut themselves as they do at other funerals. All then proceed to 

 take a parting kiss, after which the living body is covered up, first 

 with mats and tapa wrapped around the head, and then with sticks 

 and earth, which are trodden down. When this has been done all 

 retire, and are tabooed, as will be stated in describing their ordinary 

 funerals. The succeeding night, the son goes privately to the grave, 

 and lays upon it a piece of ava-root, which is called the vei-tala or 

 farewell. 



Mr. Hunt, one of the missionaries, had been a witness of several of 

 these acts. On one occasion, he was called upon by a young man, 

 who desired that he would pray to his spirit for his mother, who was 

 dead. Mr. Hunt was at first in hopes that this would afford him an 

 opportunity of forwarding their great cause. On inquiry the young 

 man told him that his brothers and himself were just going to bury 

 her. Mr. Hunt accompanied the young man, telling him he would 

 follow in the procession, and do as he desired him, supposing, of 

 course, the corpse would be brought along ; but he now met the pro- 

 cession, when the young man said that this was the funeral, and 

 pointed out his mother, who was walking along with them, as gay 

 and lively as any of those present, and apparently as much pleased. 

 Mr. Hunt expressed his surprise to the young man, and asked how 

 he could deceive him so much by saying his mother was dead, when 

 she was alive and well ? He said, in reply, that they had made her 

 death-feast, and were now going to bury her ; that she was old, that 

 his brother and himself had thought she had lived long enough, and 

 it was time to bury her, to which she had willingly assented, and they 

 were about it now. He had come to Mr. Hunt to ask his prayers, as 

 they did those of the priest. He added, that it was from love for his 

 mother, that he had done so ; that, in consequence of the same love, 

 they were now going to bury her, and that none but themselves could 

 or ought to do so sacred an office ! Mr. Hunt did all in his power to 

 prevent so diabolical an act; but the only reply he received was, that 

 she was their mother, and they were her children, and they ought to 



