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SOUTH SEA 
view for a considerable distance around, sat the princes 
and chiefs with all the great people of the island ; among 
them Nahi was observed, in a conspicuous situation, 
watching the proceedings with great earnestness ; for he 
had heard that Kinau had visited the enchanted glen, 
and he had heard also of the prophecy of Kelkuewa— 
indeed it was upon every one’s lips ; and many hoped 
that the prophecy would be fulfilled, for many of the 
best-informed chiefs and numbers of the people began 
to feel disgusted with these cruel exhibitions ; but the 
custom was an ancient one ; their fathers had followed 
the same ceremonies with scrupulous exactness, and it 
therefore was the more difficult to abolish, as national 
customs, whether good or bad, generally are; for inde- 
pendent of the horrible nature of the practice, it was 
liable to great abuse, as the conduct of Nahi fully 
exemplifies. 
The proceedings of the assembly soon commenced. 
The first victim, who happened to be an abandoned 
wretch, was led out of the enclosure by the priests, and 
thrust among the multitude. There were plenty of the 
wild and infuriated to commence the attack, by hurling 
stones and beating the unfortunate beings with any 
weapon which they might have provided themselves 
with for the occasion, and he was hunted to and fro 
like a wild beast, until the spark of life was nearly 
extinct ; then he was hurled upon the funereal pile, amid 
the wild exclamations of the savage throng, while 
66 liquid fire curled around his limbs, and to his hissing 
bones and marrow clung.’ * 
