238 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
prevented his throwing himself on the ground. For a 
long time, the priest and one of the Raiateans struggled 
together; when the god, insulted at the rude liberty taken 
with his servant, left him, and the priest in silence retired 
from the assembly. 
When one of the priests was exhibiting all the violent 
gestures of inspiration in Huahine, a bystander observed, 
that it was all deceit, and that if they were to open the 
body of the priest, they should not find any god within. 
The multitude, however, appeared struck with horror 
at the startling proposal, and seemed to think the 
individual who had dared to utter it would not escape 
the signal vengeance of the powerful spirit. 
Although so much ceremony, and such extraordinary 
effects, attended the public or formal intercourse between 
the god and the people, through the medium of the priest, 
the communications between the priest and the god were 
sometimes of an opposite character, and ludicrously col¬ 
loquial. Mr. Davies, when itinerating round the island 
of Einieo, in the early part of his missionary labour in 
that island, arrived at a village near Tiatae-pua, where he 
endeavoured to purchase provisions from the inhabitants. 
Vegetables were procured with facility, but the only ani¬ 
mals were a number of fowls, and these belonged to the 
priest of the adjacent temple. Application was made to 
this individual, who looked at the articles (scissors, 
looking-glasses, &c.) offered in exchange, and seemed 
desirous to barter his fowls for them, but he said they 
belonged to the god, having been presented as offerings, 
and that without his leave he dare not part with any. 
Again he examined the articles, and then said he would 
go and ask if the god was willing to part with any of 
the fowls. He proceeded to the temple, whither he 
