40 
A VOYAGE TO 
1 777 - till the blow is given that puts an end to their exiftence, 
|S , eptember^ whenever any one of the great Chiefs thinks a human 
facrifice neceffary, on any particular emergency, he pitches 
upon the victim. Some of his trufty fervants are then Tent, 
who fall upon him fuddenly, and put him to death with 
a club, or by Honing him. The king is next acquainted 
with it, whofe prefence, at the folemn rites that follow, 
is, as I was told, abfolutely neceffary; and, indeed, on the 
prefent occalion, we could obferve, that Otoo bore a prin¬ 
cipal part. The folemnity itfelf is called Poore Eree , or 
Chief’s Prayer; and the vi£lim, who is offered up, Taata- 
taboo , or confecrated man. This is the only inftance where 
we have heard the word taboo ufed at this illand, where it 
feems to have the fame myfterious ffgnification as at 
Tonga; though it is there applied to all cafes where things 
are not to be touched. But at Otaheite, the word raa 
ferves the fame purpofe, and is full as extenlive in its 
meaning. 
The moral (which, undoubtedly, is a place of worfhip, 
facrifice, and burial, at the fame time), where the facrifice 
was now offered, is that where the fupreme Chief of the 
whole illand is always buried, and is appropriated to his 
family, and fome of the principal people. It differs lit¬ 
tle from the common ones, except in extent. Its prin¬ 
cipal part, is a large, oblong pile of ftones, lying loofely 
upon each other, about twelve or fourteen feet high, con¬ 
tracted toward the top, with a fquare area, on each fide, 
loofely paved with pebble ftones, under w'hich the bones of 
the Chiefs are buried. At a little diftance from the end 
neareft the fea, is the place where the facrifices are offered ; 
which, for a confiderable extent, is alfo loofely paved. 
There is here a very large fcaffold, or whatta , on which the 
offerings 
