BELIEF IN WITCHCRAFT. 
95 
receiving some serious injury from him, or, in all 
probability, without losing his life. And to such 
an extent has this sometimes been carried, that ex- 
peditions of a very important character have been 
prevented from being put into execution ; or have 
been delayed so long, as to render them futile. 
A belief in witchcraft almost universally pre- 
vails : with some, however, as with the tapu, it 
is only held for political purposes, or to serve as 
an excuse for an assault upon some party weaker 
than themselves. When a chief, his wife, or 
child, are taken ill, they are immediately said to 
be under the power of witchcraft ; but the name 
of the person who has bewitched them is not told, 
till it becomes convenient to commit some act 
of aggression ; when the reason given is, that 
they were the treacherous cause of the sickness 
or death of their friends. It is true, that some- 
times there are people here who are found to 
assume to themselves the powers of witchcraft, 
and to brave all the dangers attendant upon the 
pretended practice of it. These individuals are 
consulted, and engaged to cast an evil spell upon 
some one whom they wish to destroy : it is but 
rarely that they refuse to act as desired, and 
mumble out prayers and curses upon the intended 
victim. Should it happen, that, about this time, 
sickness or death should overtake the person said 
to be bewitched, there is but small chance of the 
wizard escaping the punishment due to his guilt. 
Urged by the hope of worldly gain, he generally 
