42 
A VOYAGE TO 
1777. diftant of thefe iflands, makes it not unlikely, that fome of 
the more important articles of their religious inftitutions 
fhould agree. And, indeed, we had the moft authentic in¬ 
formation, that human facrifices continue to be offered at 
the Friendly Iflands. When I defcribed the Natche at Tonga- 
taboo, I mentioned that, on the approaching fequel of that 
feftival, we had been told, that ten men were to be facri- 
ficed. This may give us an idea of the extent of this reli¬ 
gious maffacre in that ifland. And though we fhould fup- 
pofe, that never more than one perfon is facrificed, on any 
fingle occafion, at Otaheite, it is more than probable, that 
thefe occafions happen fo frequently, as to make a fhocking 
wafle of the human race ; for I counted no lefs than forty - 
nine fculls, of former victims, lying before the moral , where 
we faw one more added to the number. And as none of 
thofe fculls had, as yet, buffered any confiderable change 
from the weather, it may hence be inferred, that no great 
length of time had elapfed, fince, at leaft, this confiderable 
number of unhappy wretches had been offered upon this 
altar of blood. 
The cuftom, though no confideration can make it ceafe 
to be abominable, might be thought lefs detrimental, in 
fome refpecis, if it ferved to imprefs any awe for the divi¬ 
nity, or reverence for religion, upon the minds of the mul¬ 
titude. But this is fo far from being the cafe, that though 
a great number of people had affembled at the morale on 
this occafion, they did not feem to fhew any proper reve¬ 
rence for what was doing, or faying, during the celebration 
of the rites. And Ornai happening to arrive, after they 
had begun, many of the fpedlators flocked round him, and 
were engaged, the remainder of the time, in making him 
relate fome of his adventures, which they liflened to with 
i great 
