:carved human head on the top. Th e old man who lived in the
above houle, intimated to me by figns,, that it was his burying
place, but as we were then in quell of Heekdi the Captain’s -friend,
in order to prefent him with a boar,and a little fow, I had not;time
to inquire more particularly, efpeciallyas.it was the Jail day before
our departure, and I was defirous o f coliecting feme birds and
plants which I hadleen, and which were.notcafily to be obtained..
Thefe fepulcres with the carved.figute of a human head, feem to
intimate -that the natives o f thisifland had almpfl the lame manner
o f burying the dead, and .o f fixing a human figure o ra titieehee,
near it, as the inhabitants o f Taheitee.
The whole account o f the.religion, worlhip, and various-rites in life
among the inhabitants .of the iflands in the South Sea, Ihew that it is
•the leall exceptionable fyllem of polytheilm. It has the llamp o f all
the inventions and works o f mankind in its imperfection and error -
but it is in my opinion lefs cruel, and not fo much clogged with
fuperltition as many others, which were or Hill .are -in ufe; among
nations who are reputed to be more civilized and more improved.
T heir religion requites o f its votaries a kind o f worlhip, it teaches
them to look upon the deity as the giver o f all good gifts, as the
being who hears their prayers, and is willing to alfill mankind
when invoked, and to reward the good: and thefe doClrines
afford the only origin o f all honefly, faith, and juflice; or in a
word
word o f all focial ties and focial virtues, without which there religion.
would be no comfort, and Hill lefs real happinefs in human
facieties.
Atque baud fcio, an fietate adverfus Deos fublata, tides'
etiam, &-Jocietas humani generis, & una excellentijjima virfus, jujiitia
■ tollatifr.
M.. T u l l p j C icero,, de Nat.,Deor*. Lii. p. 7. Elzev.-
4 D 2 SE C T .