338 
A VOYAGE TO 
1777. a living pigeon on a perch, clofed the rear of. the pro- 
ceffion, in which about two hundred and fifty perfons 
walked. 
Omai was defired by me, to afk the Chief, to what place 
the yams were to be thus carried, with fo much folemnity ? 
but, as he feemed unwilling to give us the information we 
wanted, two or three of us followed the proceflion, contrary 
to his inclination. We found that they Hopped before a 
moral or fiatooka * of one houfe Handing upon a mount, 
which was hardly a quarter of a mile from the place where 
they HrH affembled. Here we obferved them depoHting 
the yams, and making them up into bundles ; but for what 
purpofe, we could not learn. And, as our prefence feemed 
to give them uneafmefs, we left them, and returned to Pou- 
laho, who tpld us, we might amufe ourfelves by walking 
about, as nothing would be done for fome time. The fear 
of loHng any part of the ceremony, prevented our being 
long abfent. When we returned to the king, he deHred me 
to order the boat’s crew not to Hir from the boat; for, as 
every thing would, very foon, be taboo , if any of our people, 
or of their own, fhould be found walking about, they would 
be knocked down with clubs; nay mateed , that is, killed. 
He alfo acquainted us, that we could not be prefent at the 
ceremony; but that we fhould be conducted to a place, 
where we might fee every thing that paffed. Objections 
were made to our drefs. We were told, that, to qualify us 
to be prefent, it was neceffary that we fliould be naked as 
low as the breaH, with our hats off, and our hair untied. 
Omai offered to conform to thefe requiHtes, and began to 
Hrip; other objections were then Harted; fo that the ex- 
clufion was given to him equally with ourfelves. 
* This is the fiatooka mentioned above by Mr. Anderfon, p. 321. 
I did 
