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POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
to this, among the barbarous nations in any parts of the 
world, I have reason to believe it was not confined to 
the Society group, and neighbouring islands. It does 
not appear to have existed in the Marquesas or Sand¬ 
wich Islands; but the Jesuit Missionaries found an 
institution, hearing a striking resemblance to it, among 
the inhabitants of the Caroline or Ladrone Islands; a 
privileged fraternity, whose practices were, in many 
respects, similar to those of the Areois of the southern 
islands. They were called uritoy ; which, omitting the 
f, would not he much unlike areoi, A greater difference 
exists in the pronunciation of words known to be 
radically the same. 
How long this association has existed in the South 
Sea Islands, we have no means of ascertaining with 
correctness. According to the traditions of the people, 
its antiquity is equal to that of the system of pollution 
and error with which it was so intimately allied; and, 
by the same authority, we are informed that there have 
been Areois almost as long as there have been men. 
These, however, were all so fabulous, that we can only 
infer from them that the institution is of ancient origin. 
According to the traditions of the people, Taaroa created, 
and, by means of Hina, brought forth, when full-grown, 
Orotetefa and Urutetefa. > They were not his sons; 
oriori is the term employed by the people, which seems 
to mean create. They were called the brothers of Oro, 
and were numbered among the inferior divinities. Tliey 
remained in a state of celibacy; and hence the devotees 
were required to destroy their offspring. The origin of 
the Areois institution is as follows. 
Oro, the son of Taaroa, desired a wife from the 
daughters of Taata, the first man; he sent two of his 
