THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
343 
After this, a profound lilence enfued, for a little time, 
and then a man, who fat in the front of the area, began an 
oration (or prayer), during which, at feveral different times, 
he went and broke one of the poles, which had been 
brought in by thofe who had walked in proceflion. When 
he had ended, the people, fitting before the fhed, feparated, 
to make a lane, through which the prince and his atten¬ 
dants paired, and the affembly broke up. 
Some of our party, fatisfied with what they had already 
feen, now returned to the fhips; but I, and two or three 
more of the officers, remained at Mooa, to fee the conclu- 
fion of the folemnity, which was not to be till the next day; 
being defirous of omitting no opportunity, which might 
afford any information about the religious or the political 
inffitutions of this people. The fmall flicks or poles, which 
had been brought into the area, by thofe who walked in 
proceflion, being left lying on the ground, after the crowd 
had difperfed, I went and examined them. I found, that to 
the middle of each, two or three fmall flicks were tied, as 
has been related. Yet we had been repeatedly told by the 
natives, who flood near us, that they were young yams; 
infomuch that fome of our gentlemen believed them, 
rather than their own eyes. As I had the demonftra- 
tion of my fenfes to fatisfy me, that they v r ere not real 
yams, it is clear, that we ought to have underflood them, 
that they were only the artificial reprefentations of thefe 
roots. 
Oar fupper was got ready about feven o’clock. It con- 
lifted of fiih and yams. We might have had pork alfo; but 
we did not choofe to kill a large hog, which the king had 
given to us for that purpofe. He fupped with us, and drank 
pretty freely of brandy and water; fo that he went to bed 
with 
