382 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES* 
CHAP. XV. 
Tahitian prophets—Ancient predictions relative to the 
arrival of ships—Traditions of the Deluge corresponding 
with the accounts in sacred and profane writings— 
General ideas of the people relative to death and a 
future state—Death the consequence of Divine displea¬ 
sure— State of spirits—Miru, or heaven—Religious 
ceremonies for ascertaining the causes of death—Em¬ 
balming—The burying of the sins of the departed— 
Singular religious ceremony—Offerings to the dead— 
Occupation of the spirits of the deceased—Superstitions 
of the people—Otohaa, or lamentation—Wailing— 
Outrages committed under the paroxysms of grief—Use 
of sharks’ teeth—Elegies—The heva—Absurdity and 
barbarism of the practice. 
Besides the priests who made known the will of 
the gods, and pretended to foretell the issue of 
those enterprises in which the people might be 
engaged, or were about to commence, there have 
been at different periods individuals who have fore¬ 
told events that were to take place in periods yet 
more remote, but which at the time appeared in¬ 
comprehensible. There are some which regarded 
the destiny of the people, but the most remarkable 
(because, according to the interpretation of the 
natives themselves, they have received a partial 
fulfilment) were those referring to the strange 
ships that should arrive. Among the native pro¬ 
phets of former times, there appear to have been 
several of the name of Maui . One of the most 
