88 
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF 
with the sprout or top of a young cocoa-nut tree. The leaves of this 
are doubled in after a particular fashion, and according as the folds 
coincide or not it is deemed a good or a bad omen. When these folds 
do not coincide, they believe that one of their gods is probably offended, 
and proceed to find out whether he be so or not, by taking a cocoa-nut 
that is kept for the purpose, which they spin like a top before the sacred 
stone or altar: if it falls with the upper end towards the stone, it is a 
favourable omen; if otherwise, the god is angry, and must be appeased 
by offerings and prayers. 
At times they pretend to receive an intimation that their ancestors 
are displeased, in which case their skulls are taken down and propi¬ 
tiated by offerings. 
They believe also in a species of cursing, called wainak, which con¬ 
sists in invoking or praying, to Death, in order to procure illness or the 
displeasure of the gods on any one. 
Shooting stars are deemed ominous of death to some member of 
the family, which may occupy the part of the council-house nearest 
the point of the heavens from which it took its flight. If accom¬ 
panied by a train, it foretells the death of a female; if otherwise, that 
of a male. 
Some of the chiefs are believed to hold communication with spirits, 
and to be able at times to foretell future events: they usually exer¬ 
cise this pretended power at night; and when a number of people are 
sleeping in the mariapa, they are awakened by unnatural sounds, 
proceeding from the chief, which are considered as the words of the 
god, who speaks by him to announce the arrival of ships, the approach 
of war, and other great events. When these predictions do not come 
to pass, they always impute the failure to the intervention of some 
other spirit. 
They believe in an existence after death, and that on the death of a 
person, his spirit ascends into the air, where it is carried about by the 
winds, wherever they may chance to blow, until it finally reaches the 
Kainakaki elysium. Only those who are tattooed can expect to reach 
it, and these are generally persons of rank ; all others are intercepted 
on their way, and doomed by a large giantess, called Baine. If those 
who die are old and feeble, their spirits are conducted to the Kainakaki 
by the shades of those who have died before them. The spirits of 
children are carried to the realms of bliss by their female relatives, 
and are nursed and taken care of until they are able to provide for 
themselves. 
The Kainakaki is supposed to be situated in the island of Tavaira, 
or Gilbert’s Island. On this island there are several curious mounds. 
