350 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
On descending to the bottom of the valley, we 
reached a heiau dedicated to Pele, with several 
rude stone idols, wrapped up in white and yellow 
cloth, standing in the midst of it. A number of 
wreaths of flowers, pieces of sugar-cane, and other 
presents, some of which were not yet faded, lay 
strewed around, and we were told that every pass¬ 
ing traveller left a trifling offering before them. 
Once in a year, we were also informed, the inha¬ 
bitants of Hamakua brought large gifts of hogs, 
dogs, and fruit, when the priests and kahu of Pele 
assembled to perform certain rites, and partake of 
the feast. This annual festival, we were told, was 
designed to propitiate the volcanic goddess, and 
secure their country from earthquakes, or inun¬ 
dations of lava. Locks of human hair were among 
the offerings made to Pele. They were frequently 
presented to this goddess by those who passed by 
the crater of Kirauea, on which occasions they 
were thrown into the crater, a short address being 
made at the same time to the deity supposed to 
reside there. 
We ventured to deviate from the custom of tra¬ 
vellers in general; yet, though we presented no 
offerings, we did not proceed to pull down the 
heiau, and irritate the people by destroying their 
idols, but entered into conversation with them on 
the folly of worshipping such senseless things, and 
pointed out the more excellent way of propitiating 
the favour of Jehovah, the true God, with sacri¬ 
fices of thanksgiving and praise, placing all their 
hopes in his mercy, and depending for security on 
his providence. They took what we said in good' 
part, and answered, that though the stones could 
not save them, the being whom they represented, 
or in honour of whom they were erected, was very' 
