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POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
at Maeva^ on the extremity of a point of land projecting 
into the sea; or in the recesses of an extensive and 
overshadowing grove. The trees growing within the 
walls, and around the temple, were sacred; these were 
the tall cypress-like casuarina, the tamanu, or callo- 
phyllum, mero, or thespesia, and the tou, or cordia. 
These were, excepting the casuarina-trees, of large foliage 
and exuberant growth, their interwoven and dark um¬ 
brageous branches frequently excluded the rays of the 
sun ; and the contrast between the bright glare of a tro¬ 
pical day, and the sombre gloom in the depths of these 
groves, was peculiarly striking. The fantastic contortions 
in the trunks and tortuous branches of the aged trees, 
the plaintive and moaning sound of the wind passing 
through the leaves of the casuarina, often resembling 
the wild notes of the Eolian harp—and the dark walls 
of the temple, with the grotesque and horrific appear¬ 
ance of the idols—combined to inspire extraordinary emo¬ 
tions of superstitious terror, and to nurture that deep 
feeling of dread which characterized the worshippers of 
Tahiti’s sanguinary deities. 
The priests of the national temples were a distinct 
class ; the office of the priesthood was hereditary in all its 
departments. In the family, according to the patriarchal 
usage, the father was the priest in the village or district; 
the family of the priest was sacred, and his office was 
held by one who was also a chief. The king was some¬ 
times the priest of the nation, and the highest sacerdotal 
dignity was often possessed by some member of the 
reigning family. The intimate connexion between their 
false religion and political despotism, is, however, most 
distinctly shewn in the fact of the king’s personifying 
the god, and receiving the offerings brought to the 
