204 
RELIGIOUS RELIEFS. 
otic would approach it when sailing in that direc- 
tion. We bought a fish once from an old man 
who had just caught it ; before he delivered it 
he asked us to w f ait a little, when he cut off the 
fins and threw them again into the sea, saying 
these would float the fish’s soul to spirit-land. 
They believe, too, in an avenging spirit. We 
u F ere standing looking out one day, when we 
noticed a boat being urgently propelled across 
the bay. On touching, the single rower sprang 
out, and went straight to the village shed, carry- 
ing with him a small red flag attached to a slen- 
der pole, which he affixed to the house. Then, 
raising his head, in a loud voice he uttered what 
seemed to be a prayer, his gestures, attitude, and 
tone being those of one under the influence of 
intense feeling. When he had done, looking 
neither to right nor left, waiting to speak to no 
one, he jumped into his boat and withdrew as 
hastily as he had come. This incident made a 
deep impression on us. I have never seen any 
man more in earnest than this savage, and we 
were much interested in learning afterwards that 
he was cursing the village, because he suspected 
some of the inhabitants of having stolen his 
loin-cloth. 
They do have burial rites, but these are not 
