NATIVE DWELLINGS. 
341 
with the boards of the bread-fruit tree. Next to 
the chief, the members of his own family spread 
their mats on the floor, and then the friends and 
attendants—the females nearest the chief, the 
men towards the opposite end of the building. 
I have sometimes entered the large houses in 
Huahine, soon after our arrival there, and have 
seen, I think, forty, fifty, or sixty sleeping places 
of this kind, in one house, consisting of a mat 
spread on the ground, a wooden pillow or bolster 
in the shape of a low stool, next the side or wall, 
and a large thick piece of cloth, like a counterpane 
or shawl, which they call ahu taoto , sleeping-cloth, 
and which is their only covering, lying in the 
middle of each mat. There was no division or skreen 
between the sleeping places, but the whole ranged 
along in parallel lines from one end of the house 
to the other. What the state of morals must ne¬ 
cessarily have been among such a community, it is 
unnecessary to shew; yet such were the modes of 
life that prevailed among many, even after they 
had renounced idolatry. Such we found society 
in Huahine, and such our friends in Raiatea found 
it there. One of the reasons which they gave why 
so many slept in a house, was, their constant ap¬ 
prehensions of evil spirits, which were supposed to 
wander about at night, and grasp or strangle the 
objects of their displeasure, if found alone. Great 
numbers passing the night under the same roof, 
removed this fear, and inspired a confidence of 
security from the attacks their idolatrous absurdities 
led them to expect. 
The evils necessarily resulting from these habits 
were too palpable to allow us to delay attempting 
an alteration. We recommended each family to 
build distinct and comfortable cottages for them- 
