PRAYERS AND OFFERINGS. 343 
repetitions, and appearing as if the suppliants 
thought they should be heard for their much 
speaking. The petitioner did not address the god 
standing or prostrate, but knelt on one knee, sa. 
cross-legged, or in a crouching position, on a broad 
flat stone, leaning his back against an upright 
basaltic column, at the extremity of a smooth 
pavement, usually six or ten yards from the front 
of the idol. He threw down a branch of sacred 
miro on the pavement before the image or altar, 
and began his taro taro, or invocation, preparatory 
to the offering of his prayer. Pure is the desig¬ 
nation of prayer, and haamore that of praise, or 
worship. 
Small pieces of niau , or cocoa-nut leaf, were 
suspended in different parts of the temple, to 
remind the priest of the order to be observed. 
They usually addressed the god in a shrill, un¬ 
pleasant, or chanting tone of voice, though at 
times the worship was extremely boisterous. That 
which I have often heard in the northern islands 
was peculiarly so; and on these occasions, when 
we have induced the priest to repeat any of the 
prayers, they have always recited them in these 
tones. 
I have several of their prayers, but they are 
vain and unmeaning recitations, or abound so 
much in expressions and images of licentiousness 
and crime, as to be unfit for translation. The fol¬ 
lowing is an outline of one of the least excep¬ 
tionable. It was the morning prayer, and is called 
the awaking, or awakening, of the gods. 
“ Awake Roo—awake Tane—awake unnum¬ 
bered progeny of Tane—awake Tuu—awake Tua- 
ratai.” Thus the gods, to the number of twenty, are 
called upon by name, and are directed to the birds 
