SORCERY. 
367 
pretended influence with the demon. Whole 
families were sometimes destroyed. In Hua- 
hine, out of eight, one individual alone survives ; 
seven, it is imagined, having been cut off by one 
sorcerer. 
The imprecation was seldom openly denounced, 
unless the agent of the powers of darkness ima¬ 
gined his victim had little prospect of escape, and 
that his family were not likely to avenge his death. 
In general, these mysteries were conducted with 
that secrecy, which best comported with such 
works of darkness. Occasionally the tahutahu em¬ 
ployed his influence with the evil spirit, to revenge 
some insult or injury he or his relatives had 
received ; but more frequently he exercised it for 
hire. From his employers he received his fee and 
his directions, and having procured the tubu, or 
instrument of acting on his victim, repaired to 
his own rude marae, performed his diabolical 
rites, delivered over the individual to the demon 
he invoked, imploring the spirit to enter into 
the wretch, and inflict the most dreadful bodily 
sufferings, terminate at length the mortal ex¬ 
istence, and then hurry the spirit to the po , or 
state of night, and there pursue the dreadful 
work of torture. These were the infernal labours 
of the tahutahu or the pifao, the wizard or the 
sorcerer; and these, according to the superstitions 
of the people, their terrific results. 
It is possible that in some instances these suffer¬ 
ings may have been the effects of imagination, and 
a deep impression on the mind of the afflicted 
individual, that he was selected as the victim of 
some insatiable demon's rage. Imagining he was 
already delivered to his power, hope was aban¬ 
doned, death deemed inevitable, and the infatu- 
