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351 
these occasions all the idols were brought from 
their sacred depository, and mehen , or exposed to 
the sun; the cloth in which they had been kept 
was removed, and the feathers in the inside of the 
hollow idols were taken out. The images were 
then anointed with fragrant oil; new feathers, 
brought by their worshippers, were deposited in 
the inside of the hollow idols, and folded in new 
sacred cloth; after a number of ceremonies, they 
were carried back to their dormitories in the tem¬ 
ple. Large quantities of food were provided for 
the entertainment, which followed the religious 
rites of the pae atua. 
The most singular of their stated ceremonies was 
the maoa raa matahiti , ripening or completing of 
the year. This festival was regularly observed in 
Huahine : although 1 do not know that it was 
universal, vast multitudes assembled. In general, 
the men only engaged in pagan festivals; but* 
men, women, and children, attended at this : the 
females, however, were not allowed to enter the 
