82 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
Into five distinct heaps, leaving a narrow space 
between each. 
The opposite party, having keenly observed 
this process, now point with their wands or sticks 
o the different heaps under which they suppose 
the stone lies, looking significantly, at the same 
time, full in the face of the man who hid it. He 
sits all the while, holding his fingers before his 
eyes, to prevent their noticing any change in his 
countenance, should one of them point to the heap 
under which it is hid. Having previously agreed 
who shall strike first, that individual, looking ear¬ 
nestly at the hider, lifts his rod, and strikes a smart 
blow across the heap he had selected. The cloth 
is instantly lifted up; and should the stone appear 
under it, his party have won that hiding with one 
stroke ; if it is not there, the others strike, till the 
stone is found. The same party hide the stone 
five or ten times successively, according to their 
agreement at the commencement of the play ; and 
whichever party discovers it the given number of 
times, with fewest strokes, wins the game. Some¬ 
times they reverse it; and those win, who, in a 
given number of times, strike most heaps without 
uncovering the stone. Occasionally they play for 
amusement only, but more frequently for money, 
or other articles of value, which they stake on the 
game. 
I went to the party whom I found thus engaged, 
and, after a few minutes’ conversation, told them, 
that it was the sacred day of God, and induced 
them to put aside their play, and promise to attend 
public worship in the afternoon. Leaving them, I 
passed through a garden, where a man was at work 
weeding C2d watering a bed of cloth-plants. I 
asked him if he did not know it was the sacred 
