294 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
party for whom it is performed. When a chief 
wishes to resort to it, he sends for a priest, who, 
on his arrival, receives a number of hogs, dogs, 
and fowls, together with several bundles of tapa. 
Before he commences any of his operations, all 
persons, except the parties immediately concerned, 
retire from the house, which the priest tabu’s, and 
prohibits strangers from entering. He then kin¬ 
dles a small fire somewhere near the couch of the 
invalid, and covers it with stones. This being 
done, he kills one of the dogs by strangling it, and 
cuts off the head of one of the fowls, muttering all 
the while his prayers to the god he invokes. The 
dog, fowl, and pig, if there be one, are then cut 
open, embowelled, and laid on the heated stones, 
the priest continuing his incantations, and watch¬ 
ing, at the same time, the offerings broiling on the 
fire. A small part only of these offerings are eaten 
by the priest, the rest remain on the fire until 
consumed, when the priest lies down to sleep; and 
if his prayers are answered, he informs the poor 
sufferer, on awaking, who or what is the cause of 
his sickness. Additional presents are then made 
to the god, and other prayers offered, that the 
sickness may seize the person whose incantations, 
in the first instance, caused it; or, if in conse¬ 
quence of any delinquency towards the god on 
the part of the sufferer, that he would abate his 
anger, and remove the disease. But if, during his 
sleep, the priest has no revelation or dream, he 
informs his employers, on awaking, that he has 
not succeeded, and that another kuni ahi must be 
prepared, before he can satisfy them respecting the 
cause of the sickness. On such occasions the 
unsuccessful priest is often dismissed, and another 
sent for, to try his influence with the god. 
