SAMOAN GROUP. 133 



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

 they use flambeaux made of the dried stalks of the cocoanut-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 themselves on the 

 remainder. 



They were formerly in the habit of presenting their first fruits to the 

 aitus and chiefs. This custom still continues among 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 was 

 upset, and although a few saved themselves by swimming to the shore, 

 the greater part of them were destroyed. When asked if it was not a 

 shark, (of which they have two kinds, the tanifa, or great white shark, 

 and the masi, or small blue one,) they replied, it was a monstrous pasi, 

 which is the name applied to the murcena or conger eel. 



Their dances and other amusements are in a great degree abolished, 

 but they are still practised in the heathen villages, and even the 



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