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POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
the children or friends would supply a scanty portion 
of food, but they often grew weary of sending this small 
alleviation i and it is believed that many have died, as 
much from hunger, as from disease. 
This process was sometimes too slow for those who 
were connected with the sick, and who desired to share 
any property they might possess. If they thought there 
was but little prospect of recovery, they would deter¬ 
mine to destroy them at once. Murder was at times 
perpetrated under these circumstances, with the most 
heartless and wanton barbarity. The spear or the club 
was employed, to effect >vhat disease had been too tardy 
in accomplishing. All the persons in the house when 
these deeds of horror were performed, were called out 5 
and the friends or companions of the sufferer, armed 
with spears, prepared for their savage work. It was in 
vain that the helpless man cried for mercy; instead of 
attending to his cry, they would amuse themselves in 
trying which could take best aim” with the spear they 
threw; or, rushing upon him with spear in hand, they 
would exclaim, Tui i vaho, pierce through, and thus 
transfix him to the couch on which he was lying. 
Sometimes they buried the sick alive. When this was 
designed, they dug a pit, and then, perhaps, proposed 
to the invalid to bathe, offering to carry him to the water, 
either in their arms, or placed on a board; but, instead of 
conveying him to the place of bathing, they would carry 
him to the pit, and throw him in. Here, if any cries 
were made, they threw down large stones in order to 
stifle his voice, filled up the grave with earth, and then 
returned to their dwellings. 
The natives once gave me an account of an unhappy 
sufferer, whom they were conveying to the grave; he 
