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POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
was carried away, until only two or three remained. 
The raft, thus lightened of its load, rose to the sur¬ 
face of the water, and placed them beyond the reach 
of the voracious jaws of their relentless destroyers. 
The voyage on which they had set out, was only 
from one of the Society Islands to another, conse¬ 
quently they were not very far from land. The tide 
and the current now carried them to the shore, where 
they landed, to tell the melancholy fate of their fellow- 
voyagers. 
But for the sharks, the South Sea Islanders would 
be in comparatively but little danger from casualties 
in their voyages among the islands ; and although 
when armed they have sometimes been known to 
attack a shark in the water, yet when destitute of a 
knife or other weapon, they become an easy prey, 
and are consequently much terrified at such merciless 
antagonists. 
Another circumstance also, that added to this dread 
of sharks, was, the superstitious ideas they entertained 
relative to some of the species. Although they 
would not only kill, but eat certain kinds of shark ; 
the large blue sharks, squalus glaucus, were deified by 
them, and, rather than attempt to destroy them, they 
would endeavour to propitiate their favour by prayers 
and offerings. Temples were erected, in which 
priests officiated, and offerings were presented to the 
deified sharks, while fishermen and others, who were 
much at sea, sought their favour. Many ludicrous 
legends were formerly in circulation among the people, 
relative to the regard paid by the sharks at sea, to 
priests of their temples, whom they were always said to 
recognize, and never to injure. I received one from 
