THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
43 
great attention, regardlefs of the folemn offices performing 1777. 
by their priefts. Indeed, the priefts themfelves, except the f e P tember ; 
one who chiefly repeated the prayers, either from their 
being familiarized to fuch objedts, or from want of confi¬ 
dence in the efficacy of their inftitutions, obferved very little 
of that folemnity, which is neceffary to give to religions 
performances their due weight. Their drefs was only an 
ordinary one; they converfed together, without fcruple; 
and the only attempt made by them to preferve any appear¬ 
ance of decency, was by exerting their authority, to prevent 
the people from coming upon the very fpot where the ce¬ 
remonies were performed; and to fuffer us, as ftrangers, to 
advance a little forward. They were, however, very candid 
in their anfwers to any queftions that were put to them, 
concerning the inftitution. And, particularly, on being 
afked, what the intention of it was ? they faid, that it was 
an old cuftom, and was agreeable to their god, who de¬ 
lighted in, or, in other words, came and fed upon the fa- 
crifices; in confequence of which, he complied with their 
petitions. Upon its being objected, that he could not feed 
on thefe, as he was neither feen to do it, nor were the bo¬ 
dies of the animals quickly confumed, and that as to the 
human vidtim, they prevented his feeding on him, by bury¬ 
ing him. But to all this they anfwered, that he came in the 
night, but invifibly; and fed only on the foul, or immate¬ 
rial part, which, according to their dodtrine, remains about 
the place of facrifice, until the body of the vidtim be en¬ 
tirely wafted by putrefaction. 
It were much to be wifhed, that this deluded people may 
learn to entertain the fame horror of murdering their fel¬ 
low-creatures, in order to furnifh fuch an invifible banquet 
to their god, as they now have of feeding, corporeally, on 
G 2 human 
