THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
myfterious folemnity; and, that there was a mixture of I777 . 
religion in the inffcitution, was evident, not only from the l' jl7, t 
place where it was performed, but from the manner of 
performing it. Our drefs and deportment had never been 
called in queflion, upon any former occafion whatever. 
Now, it was expected that we fhould be uncovered as low 
as the waifl; that our hair fhould be loofe, and flowing 
over our fhoulders; that we fhould, like themfelves, fit 
crofs-legged; and, at times, in the molt humble poflure, 
with down-call eyes, and hands locked together; all which 
requifites were moll devoutly obferved by the whole af- 
fembly. And, laflly, every one was excluded from the fo¬ 
lemnity, but the principal people, and thofe who affifled 
in the celebration. All thefe circumftances were to me a 
fufficient teflimony, that, upon this occafion, they confi- 
dered themfelves as aching under the immediate infpedtion 
of a Supreme Being. 
The prefent Natche may be confidered, from the above 
account of it, as merely figurative. For the fmall quantity 
of yams, which we faw the firft day, could not be intended 
as a general contribution ; and, indeed, we were given to 
underhand, that they were a portion confecrated to the 
Otooa , or Divinity. But we were informed, that, in about, 
three months, there would be performed, on the fame ac¬ 
count, a far more important and grander folemnity; on 
which occafion, not only the tribute of Tongataboo, but 
that of Hapaee, Vavaoo, and of all the other iilands, would 
be brought to the Chief, and confirmed more awfully, by 
facrificing ten human victims from amongfl the inferior 
fort of people. A horrid folemnity indeed ! and which is 
a mofl fignificant inflance of the influence of gloomy and 
ignorant fuperftition, over the minds of one of the mofl 
benevolent 
