158 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
over the sun, the appearance of the rainbow; and, 
if they augured well, the principal war-god was 
brought out in the front of the whole army, and 
placed near the king. The priest then addressed 
a prayer to the gods, urged them to exercise their 
power, and prove themselves, in the ensuing en¬ 
gagement, mightier than the gods of their enemies; 
promising, at the same time, hecatombs of victims 
in the event of victory. The king, or commander- 
in-chief, now addressed the assembled warriors; 
and, if they were to attack, gave the signal for the 
hoouta , or onset, and they rushed to hui , or mix 
in fight. 
The national war-god was elevated above the 
ranks, and carried by the priest near the person of 
the king, or commander-in-chief. Nor was this 
the only idol borne to the battle : other chiefs of 
rank had their war-gods carried near them by their 
priest; and, if the king or chief was killed or taken, 
the god himself was usually captured also. The 
presence of their deities inspired the warriors with 
courage, who supposed their influence essential to 
victory. A description of Tairi has already been 
given, and he may be taken as a sample; the 
image was four or five feet high, the upper part 
wicker-work, covered with red feathers, the face 
a hideous form, the mouth armed with triple rows 
of dog's or shark’s teeth, the eyes of mother of 
pearl, the head crowned with a helmet, the crest 
sometimes formed of long tresses of human hair. 
We have often conversed with Hevaheva , the 
priest of Tamehameha’s war-god, and though there 
is nothing naturally repulsive in his countenance, 
we have been told, that, in the battle, he often 
distorted his face into every frightful form, and 
uttered most terrific and appalling yells, which 
