IDOLATRY-SORCERY—WITCHCRAFT. 361 
cording to their traditions. Mr. Barff, to whom I 
am indebted for the tradition, adds, “ The people 
affirmed it to be true.” This unnatural crime 
does not appear to have been general; and 
the above is the only direct account that we have 
of its existence in what are properly the Society 
Islands. It is not probable that it will ever be 
revived, and, at a recent public meeting, in allud¬ 
ing to it, as illustrative of the former, and contrast¬ 
ing it with the present state of the people, the 
native speaker concluded by saying, “ Behold, 
under the gospel of Jesus Christ, this land, where 
man-eaters have dwelt, has become a land of 
neighbours and of brethren.” 
No people in the world, in ancient or modem 
times, appear to have been more superstitious than 
the South Sea Islanders, or to have been more en¬ 
tirely under the influence of dread from imaginary 
demons, or supernatural beings. They had not 
only their major but their minor demons, or spirits, 
and all the minute ramifications of idolatry. Sor¬ 
cery and witchcraft were extensively practised. By 
this art, the sorcerers pretended to be able to inflict 
the most painful maladies, and to deprive of life 
the victims of their mysterious rites. 
It is unnecessary now to inquire whether satanic 
agency affects the bodies of men. We know this 
was the fact at the time our Saviour appeared on 
earth. Many of the natives of these islands are 
firmly persuaded, that while they were idolaters, 
their bodies were subject to most excruciating suf¬ 
ferings, from the direct operation of satanic power. 
In this opinion they might be mistaken, and that 
which they regarded as the effect of super-human 
agency, might be only the influence of imagina¬ 
tion, or the result of poison. But considering the 
