A VOYAGE TO 
1777. their turn, and cutting a piece out of the thigh of one of 
, I his enemies, he broiled and eat it. I have, alfo, frequently 
conlidered the offering of the perfon’s eye, who is facrificed, 
to the Chief, as a veftige of a cuftom which once really ex- 
ifted to a greater extent, and is hill commemorated by this 
emblematical ceremony. 
The being invefted with the maro , and the prefiding at 
human facrifices, feem to be the peculiar charadteriftics of 
the fovereign. To thefe, perhaps, may be added the blow¬ 
ing a conch-fhell, which produces a very loud found. On 
hearing it, all his fubjedts are obliged to bring food of every 
fort to his royal refidence, in proportion to their abilities. 
On fome other occaflons, they carry their veneration for his 
very name, to an extravagant and very deftrudfive pitch. For 
if, on his acceffion to the maro , any words in their language 
he found-to have a refemblance to it in found, they are 
changed for others ; and if any man be bold enough not 
to comply, and continue to ufe thofe words, not only he, 
hut all his relations, are immediately put to death. The fame 
feverity is exercifed toward thofe who fh all prefume to apply 
this facred name to any animal. And, agreeably to this cuf- 
tom of his countrymen, Omai ufed to exprefs his indigna¬ 
tion, that the Englilh fhould give the names of Prince or 
Princefs to their favourite horfes or dogs. But while death 
is the punifhment for making free with the name of their 
fovereign, if abufe be only levelled at his government, the 
offender efcapes with the forfeiture of land and houfes. 
The king never enters the houfe of any of his fubjedts ; 
hut has, in every diftridt, where he vilits, houfes belonging 
to himfelf. And if, at any time, he fhould be obliged by 
accident to deviate from this rule, the houfe thus honoured 
with his prefence, and every part of its furniture, is burnt. 
1 His 
