PORTABLE SPITTOON. 365 
fered from the enchantment. If it was a portion 
of food, similar ceremonies were observed, and 
the piece of bread-fruit, fish, &c., supposed by this 
process to be impregnated by the demon, was 
placed in the basket of the person for whom it was 
designed; and, if eaten, inevitable destruction 
was expected to follow. 
The use of the portable spittoon by the Sand¬ 
wich Island chiefs, in which the saliva was care¬ 
fully deposited, carried by a confidential servant, 
and buried every morning, and the custom of the 
Tahitians in scrupulously burning or burying the 
hair when cut off, and also furnishing to each indi¬ 
vidual his distinct basket for food, originated in 
their dread of sorcery by any of these means. 
When the tara had been performed, and the tubu 
secured, the effects were violent, and death speedy. 
The most acute agonies and terrific distortions of 
the body were often experienced; the wretched 
sufferer appeared in a state of frantic madness, 
or, as they expressed it, torn by the evil spirit, 
while he foamed and writhed under his dreadful 
power. 
On one occasion, Mr. Nott sent two native boys, 
who were his servants, from Eimeo to Tahiti, for 
taro , or arum-roots. The man, under whose care 
it was growing, was a sorcerer : he was from home, 
I believe—but the boys, according to the direc¬ 
tions they had received, went to the field, and 
procured the roots for which they had been sent. 
Before they had departed, the person who had 
charge of the field returned, and was so en¬ 
raged, that he pronounced the most dreadful 
imprecations upon one, if not both of them, threat¬ 
ening them with the pifao. The boys returned to 
Eimeo, but apparently took no notice of the 
