POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
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the bird, when it approached the temple to feast upon the 
offering; and hence they supposed their presents were 
grateful to their deities. The cries of those birds were 
also regarded as the responses of the gods to the prayers 
of the priests. 
They supposed their gods were powerful spiritual 
beings, in some degree acquainted with the events of this 
world, and generally governing its affairs; never exer¬ 
cising any thing like benevolence towards even their 
most devoted followers, but requiring homage and obe¬ 
dience, with constant offerings ; denouncing their anger, 
and dispensing destruction on all who either refused or 
hesitated to comply. But while the people supposed 
they were spiritual beings, they manufactured images 
either as representations of their form, and emblems of 
their character, or as the vehicle or instrument through 
which their communications might be made unto the 
god, and his will revealed to them. 
The idols were either rough unpolished logs of the 
aito, or casuarina tree, wrapped in numerous folds of 
sacred cloth; rudely carved wooden images; or shapeless 
pieces covered with curiously netted cinet, of finely 
braided cocoa-nut husk, and ornamented with red fea¬ 
thers. They varied in size, some being six or eight feet 
long, others not more than as many inches. Those 
representing the spirits, they called tii ; and those repre¬ 
senting the national or family gods, toos. Into these 
they supposed the god entered at certain seasons, or in 
answer to the prayers of the priests. During this 
indwelling of the gods, they imagined even the images 
were very powerful: but when the spirit had departed, 
though they were among the most sacred things, their 
extraordinary powers were gone. 
