a sufficiently good bribe, they will impart their
sacred power to any chief, who, by means of
this device, thus can protect a field of potatoes
or grain, at fifty miles distance from his
settlement, more securely and effectually than
by any fences, or number of persons he might
place to guard it.
This ceremony of taboo, which is common
to the whole of the South Sea Islands, seems
the principal part of their religion, and it is
really difficult to wralk without trespassing or
infringing on some spot under this influence.
All those who touch a corpse are immediately
taboo’d, and must be fed like an infant, as their
own hands must not touch any thing that is
put into their mouths. In fact, as we strolled
through the village at the time of their evening
repast, it appeared as though some dreadful
disease had suddenly struck the greater part of
the inhabitants, and deprived them of the use
of their limbs, most of them being either fed by
their slaves, or lying flat down on the ground,
and with their mouths eating out of their
platters or baskets. The canoe that carries
a corpse to the place of its interment is, from
that time, taboo’d and laid u p ; and if any
one by chance touches, it, he does so at his
peril.
All those chiefs who were under the operating
hands of Aranghie, the tatooer, were
under this law, and all those who worked
upon their war canoes were similarly situated.
Unfortunately for me, I one day took away
a handful of chips from their dock-yard to
make our fire burn clearly. I was informed
they were taboo’d, and upon my pleading ignorance,
and sorrow for the misdemeanour,
together with a promise not to renew the
offence, I was pardoned. A poor hen of ours
did not escape so well; she, poor thing, ventured
to form a nest, and actually hatched a
fine family of chickens amongst these sacred
shavings! Loud was the outcry, and great the
horror she occasioned when she marched
forth cackling, with her merry brood around
her. She and “ all her little ones ” were
sacrificed instantly. What became of their
bodies we could never learn; probably the
workmen were not too fastidious to eat them.
I have observed, since my residence here,
L