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POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES, 
threatening. One of them was shortly afterwards 
taken ill; and the imprecation of the sorcerer 
being made known to his friends, it was immedi¬ 
ately concluded that he was possessed by the evil 
spirit. Alarming symptoms rapidly increased, 
and some of the Missionaries went to see him in 
this state. On entering the place where he lay, a 
most appalling spectacle was presented. Ihe 
youth was lying on the ground, writhing in an¬ 
guish, foaming at the mouth, his eyes apparently 
ready to start from his head, his countenance 
exhibiting every form of terrific distortion and 
pain, his limbs agitated with violent and 
involuntary convulsions. The friends of the 
boy were standing round, filled with horror at 
what they considered the effects of the malignant 
demon ; and the sufferer shortly afterwards expired 
in dreadful agonies. In general, the effects of 
incantations were more gradual in their progress, 
and less sudden, though equally fatal in their 
termination. 
The belief of the people in the power of the 
sorcerers remained unshaken, until the renuncia¬ 
tion of idolatry, and the whole population were 
consequently kept in most humiliating and slavish 
fear of the demons. No rank or class was sup¬ 
posed to be exempt from their fatal influence. 
The young prince of Taiarabu, Te-arii-na-vaho- 
roa, brother of the late king, was by many of the 
people considered as destroyed, by Metia, a pro¬ 
phet of Oro, and a celebrated sorcerer, who had 
sometimes been known to threaten even the king 
himself with the effects of his indignation. “ Give 
up, give up,” was the language he on one occasion 
employed, when addres sing le king, “ lest I bend 
>y strong bowin allu ion it is supposed, to his 
