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POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
guide of such as went thither, and the duty of the 
priest now employed was to engage him to conduct 
the spirit of the departed to this fancied region of 
enjoyment. 
The Tahitians divide their history into two eras, 
the first they call the hau hupehupe , the rude or 
unpolished age: during this period the bodies of 
the dead were allowed to remain in the house in 
which they had lived, and which was still occupied 
by the survivors. A kind of stage or altar was 
erected in the house, on which the body was laid. 
But when the people became wiser, and society 
improved, the hau una , neat or polished age, 
commenced, which continued till the arrival 
of foreigners. It was in the commencement of 
this age, that separate houses were built for 
the dead. 
The houses erected as depositories for the dead, 
were small and temporary buildings, though often 
remarkably neat. The pillars supporting the roof 
were planted in the ground, and were seldom more 
than six feet high. The bier or platform on which 
the body was laid, was about three feet from the 
ground, and was moveable, for the purpose of 
being drawn out, and of exposing the body to the 
rays of the sun. The corpse was usually clothed, 
except when visited by the relatives or friends of 
the deceased. It was, however, for a long time 
carefully rubbed with aromatic oils once a day. 
A light kind of altar was erected near it, on 
which articles of food, fruits, and garlands of 
flowers were daily deposited ; and if the deceased 
were a chief of rank or fame, a priest or other 
person was appointed to attend the corpse, and 
present food to its mouth at different periods 
during the day. When asked their reason for 
