SHARKS FORMERLY DEIFIED. 167 
glaucus. were deified by them, and, rather than 
attempt to destroy them, they would endeavour to 
propitiate their favour by prayers and offerings. 
Temples were erected, in which priests officiated, 
and offerings were presented to the deified mon¬ 
sters, while fishermen and others, who were much 
at sea, sought their favour. In one of their fabu¬ 
lous legends, for which I am indebted to my friend 
Mr. Orsmond, the island of Tahiti is represented 
as having been a shark, originally from Raiatea : 
Matarafau, in the east, was the head ; and a place 
near Faaa, on the west, was the tail; the large 
lake Vaihiria was the ventricles or gills ; while the 
lofty Orohena, the highest mountain in the island, 
probably 6- or 7000 feet above the sea, was re¬ 
garded as its dorsal fin ; and its ventral fin was 
Matavai. Many ludicrous legends were formerly 
in circulation among the people, relative to the 
regard paid by the sharks at sea, to priests of 
their temples, whom they were always said to 
recognize, and never to injure. I received one 
from the mouth of a man, formerly a priest of an 
akua mao , shark god ; but it is too absurd to be 
recorded. The principal motives, however, by 
which the people appear to have been influenced 
in their homage to these creatures, was the same 
that operated on their minds in reference to other 
acts of idolatry ; it was the principle of fear, and 
a desire to avoid destruction, in the event of being 
exposed to their anger at sea. 
The superstitious fears of the people have now 
entirely ceased. I was once in a boat, on a voyage 
to Borabora, when a ravenous shark approaching 
us, seized the blade of one of the oars, and 
on being shaken from it, darted at the keel of the 
boat, which he attempted to bite. While he was 
