THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
39 
plume, were inclofed with the J Eatooa, in the ark ; and the 
folemnity finally clofed. 
Four double canoes lay upon the beach, before the 
place of facrifice, all the morning. On the fore-part of 
each of thefe, was fixed a fmall platform, covered with 
palm-leaves, tied in myfterious knots; and this alfo is 
called a moral. Some cocoa-nuts, plantains, pieces of 
bread-fruit, fifh, and other things, lay upon each of thefe 
naval morals. We were told, that they belonged to the 
Eatooa; and that they were to attend the fleet defigned to 
go againft Eimeo. 
The unhappy victim, offered to the object of their wor- 
fhip upon this occafion, feemed to be a middle-aged man ; 
and, as we were told, was a toutou ; that is, one of the 
loweft clafs of the people. But, after all my inquiries, I 
could not learn, that he had been pitched upon, on ac¬ 
count of any particular crime, committed by him, meriting 
death. It is certain, however, that they generally make 
choice of fuch guilty perfons for their facrifices ; or elfe of 
common, low, fellows, who flroll about, from place to 
place, and from ifland to illand, without having any fixed 
abode, or any vifible way of getting an honeft livelihood; 
of which defcription of men, enough are to be met with 
at thefe iflands. Having had an opportunity of examining 
the appearance of the body of the poor fufferer, now of¬ 
fered up, I could obferve, that it was bloody about the 
head and face, and a good deal bruifed upon the right 
temple; which marked the manner of his being killed. 
And we were told, that he had been privately knocked on 
the head with a ftone. 
Thofe who are devoted to buffer, in order to perform this 
bloody a< 5 t of worfhip, are never apprized of their fate, 
3 till 
1777- 
September. 
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