136 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
considered sacred, as part of Rono, and deposited 
in a heiau (temple) dedicated to Rono, on the 
opposite side of the island. There religious 
homage was paid to them, and from thence they 
were annually carried in procession to several 
other heiaus, or borne by the priests round the 
island, to collect the offerings of the people, for 
the support of the worship of the god Rono. 
The bones were preserved in a small basket of 
wicker-work, completely covered over with red 
feathers ; which in those days were considered 
to be the most valuable articles the natives pos¬ 
sessed. 
The Missionaries in the Society Islands had, by 
means of some Sandwich Islanders, been long ac¬ 
quainted with the circumstance of some of Capt. 
Cook’s bones being preserved in one of their tem¬ 
ples, and receiving religious worship; and since 
the time of my arrival, in company with the de¬ 
putation from the London Missionary Society, in 
1822, every endeavour has been made to learn, 
face, wanting ; the scalp, with the hair upon it cut short, 
and the ears adhering to it; the bones of both arms, with 
the skin of the fore-arms hanging to them ; the thigh and 
leg bones joined together, but without the feet; the liga¬ 
ments of the joints were entire ; and the whole bore evi¬ 
dent marks of having been in the fire, except the hands, 
which had the flesh left upon them, and were cut in 
several places, and crammed with salt, apparently with an 
intention of preserving them. The lower jaw and feet, 
which were wanting, Eappo told us, had been seized by 
different chiefs, and that Terreeoboo was using every 
means to recover them.” Speaking of Eappo's first visit 
after the death of Captain Cook, he says, a We learned 
from this person, that the flesh of all the bodies of our 
people, together with the bones of the trunks, had been 
burnt.”—Captain King's Continuation of Cook’s Voyages, 
yol, iii. pages 78, 79, and 80. 
