COURTLY ADULATION. 113 
the king here received the homage and tribute ol 
allegiance from the people. A veil must be thrown 
over the vices with which the ceremonies were con¬ 
cluded. 
Although this ceremony was one of the least 
offensive festivities among them, the murderous 
cruelty with which it commenced, and the wicked¬ 
ness with which it terminated, were adapted to 
impress the mind with acutest anguish and deepest 
commiseration. The abominations continued until 
the blowing of the trumpet on board the canoes 
required every one to depart from the temple. 
They now repaired to the banquet or feast provided 
for the occasion, and passed the remainder of the 
day in unrestrained indulgence and excess. 
The phraseology of the Tahitian court was in 
perfect accordance with the elevation, and sacred 
connexion with their divinities, which the binding 
on the red girdle was designed to recognize and 
ratify. The preposterous vanity and adulation in 
language, used in epithets bestowed upon the 
king of Tahiti and his establishment, fully equal 
those employed in the most gorgeous establish¬ 
ment of Eastern princes, or the seraglios of 
Turkish sultans. 
It was not only declared that Oro was the father 
of the king, as was implied by the address of the 
priest when arraying him in the sacred girdle, and 
the station occupied by his throne, when placed in 
the temple by the side of the deities, but it per¬ 
vaded the terms used in reference to his whole 
establishment. His houses were called the aorai, 
the clouds of heaven ; ami anna, the rainbow, was 
the name of the canoe in which he voyaged; his 
voice was called thunder ; the glare of the torches 
in his dwelling was denominated lightning; and 
hi. j 
