TRADITIONS. 
77 
them topataua , literally, rain-drop, supposing they 
must have fallen from the clouds with the rain. 
The accounts the natives give of the introduction 
of the animals found on the islands by the first 
European visitors, are most of them as fabulous as 
those relating to their own origin. Some, indeed, 
say that pigs and dogs were brought from the west 
by the first inhabitants ; but others refer their origin 
to man. One of their traditions states, that after 
Taaroa had made the world and mankind, he 
created the quadrupeds of the earth, the fowls of 
the air, and the fishes of the sea ; but one of their 
most indelicate accounts states, that in ancient 
times a man died, and after death his body was 
destroyed by worms, which ultimately grew into 
swine—and were the first known in the islands. 
We never observed among them any traces of the 
Asiatic doctrine of the transmigration of souls; 
although they believed that hogs had souls, and 
that there was a distinct place, called Ofetuna, whi¬ 
ther they supposed the souls of the pigs repaired 
after their death. This idea some carried so far as 
to suppose, that, not only animals had souls, but to 
imagine that even flowers and plants were organized 
beings, also possessing souls. Another singular 
practice in reference to their pigs was, that of giving 
them some distinct, though often arbitrary name ; 
so that each pig had his own proper name, by which 
he, as well as the several members of the family, 
was distinguished. This difference, however, pre¬ 
vailed— a man frequently changed his name, but 
the name of the pig, once received, was usually 
retained. 
