POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
501 
gorget^ ingeniously wrought with mother-of-pearl shells^ 
feathers^ dog's hair, white and coloured. 
Their ancient dresses and weapons have, since their 
intercourse with Europeans, been superseded in a great 
degree by the introduction of common fire-arms, the 
bayonet, and the sword. Pupuhi is the general name 
for gun. Puhi signifies to bloWy with the mouth, 
pupuhi to blow repeatedly, and this name has been given 
to a musket, from the circumstance of the foreigners, 
whom the natives first saw firing, bending down the head 
on one side to take aim, and bringing the mouth nearly 
in contact with the piece, into or through the barrel of 
which they supposed the person blew, and thus pro¬ 
duced the explosion | hence it is called the blower. 
They imagined that the first ships they saw were 
islands; their inhabitants supernatural, vindictive, and 
revengeful beings. The flag of one of the first vessels 
hanging from the ship into the water, a native approached, 
and took a piece of it away; this being perceived, he was 
fired at, and wounded, as they all supposed, by the 
thunder. 
When we consider this, we shall not be surprised at their 
ideas of the source of motion in the ball. The opinion of 
its being blown from the mouth of the musketeer, has long 
been corrected; still the name is retained, and a cannon 
is pupuhi fenna^ to blow land, or country, from its 
contents spreading over a wide tract of country; the 
musket they call pupuhi roa^ long gun; the blunderbuss 
vaharahi^ wide or great mouth; the pistol, pwpmhi 
teuumu ; a swivel, pupuhi tioi^ turning gun; the bullets 
or balls they call ofai^ or stones. Arms, ammunition, 
and ardent spirits, were formerly the principal articles in 
demand by all classes; and being the most valuable kinds 
