A TAPUED CHIEF EATING WITH A iFERN STALK. 
CHAPTER VJLII. 
T APU. 
This singular Institution, which pervaded the entire extent 
of Polynesia, may perhaps be most correctly defined as a 
religious observance, established for political purposes ; it 
consisted in making any person, place, or thing sacred for a 
longer or shorter period ; if it were a person, during the 
time of the Tapu, he could not be touched by any one, 
or even put his own hand to his head ; but he was either 
fed by another who was appointed for the purpose, or took 
up his food with his mouth from a small stage, with his 
hands behind him, or by a fern stalk, and thus conveyed it 
to his mouth ; in drinking, the water was poured in a very 
expert manner from a calabash into his mouth, or on his 
hands, when he needed it for washing, so that he should not 
touch the vessel, which otherwise could not have been used 
again for ordinary purposes.* 
During the war in the north a chief named Kanara was 
* A similar custom prevailed in Israel — see 2 Kings iii 11. 
M 2 
