POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
463 
Among other prohibitions, that of tatauing, or staining 
the body, was included. The simple act of tatauing, or 
marking the skin, was in itself no breach of the peace, 
but it was connected with their former idolatry, and 
always attended with the practice of abominable vices, 
and on this account was prohibited. The fondness of 
the Tahitians for these ornaments, as they considered the 
marks thus impressed, is truly remarkable. It is not 
confined to them, but pervades the principal groups, and 
is extensively practised by the Marquesians and New 
Zealanders. Although practised by all classes, I have 
not been able to trace its origin. It is by some adopted 
as a badge of mourning, or memorial of a departed 
friend; and from the figures we have sometimes seen 
upon the persons of the natives, and the conversation we 
have had, we should be induced to think it was designed 
as a kind of historical record of the principal actions of 
their lives. But it was, we believe, in modern times 
adopted by the greater number of the people merely as 
a personal adornment. 
It must have been a painful operation, and was seldom 
applied to any extent at the same time. There were 
tahua, professors of the art of tatauing, who were regu¬ 
larly employed to perform it, and received a liberal 
remuneration. 
The colouring matter was the kernel of the candle-nut, 
aleurites triloba, called by the natives tiairi. This was 
first baked, and then reduced to charcoal, and afterwards 
pulverized, and mixed with oil. The instruments were 
rude, though ingenious, and consisted of the bones of 
birds or fishes, fastened with fine thread to a small stick. 
Another stick, somewhat heavier, was also used to strike 
the above when the skin was perforated. The figure or 
