FOIA’NESIAN RESEARCHES. 
417 
sometimes remark—we believe it because you say so^ but 
we cannot understand it. These observations were made 
only when the subject was first brought under their 
notice. The intelligent among them now entertain far 
more consistent views. 
Among the Harvey Islands, they worshipped a god of 
thunder; but he does not appear to have been an object 
of great terror to any of them. The thunder was sup¬ 
posed to be produced by the clapping of his wings. 
The ignis fatuus, they considered as one of their most 
powerful gods, proceeding, in his tutelary visitations, 
from one marae to another. 
The wdnds were presumed to be under the direction 
and control of the deities; by whom they were sup - 
posed to be kept in a cave, as by Eolus among the 
ancient pagans. Some contended that there was but one 
rua^ hole or cavern, of the winds; others, that there were 
two, one in the east, the other towards the west, the two 
quarters whence the winds usually blew. Although they 
had but one, or at most two caverns, whence they sup¬ 
posed the winds to proceed, they had a distinct name for 
each wind, designating sometimes both its degree of 
strength, and its direction. The north wind they called 
Haapiti; the south, Maraamu; the east, Maoai; the 
west, Toerau. The east, with its variations from north¬ 
east to south-east, being the regular trade-wind, is most 
prevalent, and is seldom unpleasantly violent. Winds 
from the north are often tempestuous, more so than from 
the south, whence, although during the season of varia¬ 
ble winds they are strong, and continue several days, 
they are not dangerous. The wind seldom prevails from 
the west, among the Society Islands, excepting in the 
months of December, January, and February. At this 
II. 3 H 
