524 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
The bier or platform on which the body was laid^ was 
about three feet from the ground, and was moveable, for 
the purpose of being drawn out, and exposing the body 
to the rays of the sun. The corpse was usually clothed, 
except when visited by the relatives or friends of the 
deceased. It was, however, for a long time carefully 
rubbed with aromatic oils once a day. 
A light kind of altar was erected near it, on which 
articles of food, fruits, and garlands of flowers were 
daily deposited; and if the deceased were a chief of 
rank or fame, a priest or other person was appointed to 
attend the corpse, and present food to its mouth at 
different periods during the day. When asked their 
reason for this senseless practice, they have said they 
supposed there was a spiritual as well as a material part 
of food, a part which they could smell; and that if the 
spirit of the deceased returned, the spirit or scent of the 
offering would be grateful. Connected with the depo¬ 
sitories of the dead, there was what they called the 
aumiha, a kind of contagious influence, of which they 
appeared to be afraid; and hence, at night especially, 
they avoided the place of sepulture. The family, district, 
or royal maraes were the general depositories of the 
bones of the departed, whose bodies had been embalmed, 
and whose skulls were sometimes preserved in the dwell¬ 
ing of the survivors. The marae or temple being sacred, 
and the bodies being under the guardianship of the gods, 
were in general considered secure when deposited there. 
This was not, however, always the case; and in times 
of war, the victors sometimes, not only despoiled the 
temples of the vanquished, and bore away their idol, but 
robbed the sacred enclosure of the bones of celebrated 
individuals. These spoils were appropriated to what 
