the body is depofited r that it obferves the aftions of the fur-
vivors, and is gratified hy fuch teftimonies o f their affedtion
and grief.
Two or three days after thefe ceremonies have been commenced
by the women, during which the men feem to be
wholly infenfible of their lofs, they alfo begin to perform
their part. The neareft relations take it in turn to ailume the
drefs, and perform the office which have already been particularly
defcribed in the account of Tubourai Tamaide*s
having adted as chief mourner to an old woman, his-relation,
who died while we were in the ifland. One part of the
ceremony, however, which accounts for the running away
of the people as foon as this proceffion is in fight,, has not
been mentioned. The chief mourner carries in his hand a
long flat flick, the edge of which is fet with fliark’s teeth,
and in a phrenzy, which his grief is fuppofed to have inspired,
he runs at all he fees, and i f any of them happen to
be overtaken, he ftrikes them moft unmercifully with this
indented cudgel, which cannot fail to wound them in a dangerous
manner.
Thefe proceffions continue at certain Intervals for five
moons, but are lefs and lefs frequent, by a gradual diminution,
as the end of that time approaches. When it is expired,
what remains of the body is taken down from the
bier, and the bones having been fcraped and waffied very
clean, are buried, according to the rank o f the perfon, either
within or without a Morai: if the deceafed was an Earee, or
Chief, his fkull is not buried with the reft of the bones, but
is wrapped up in fine cloth, and put in a kind of box made
for that purpofe, which is alfo placed in the Morai. This
coffer is called Ewharre no te Orometua, the houfe o f a teacher
or matter. After this the mourning ceafes, except fome of
the
the women continue to be really affli&ed for the lofs, and in ^
that cafe they will fometimes fuddenly wound themfelves
with the fhark’s tooth wherever they happen to be: this perhaps
will account for the paffion of grief in which Terapo
Wounded herfelf at the fo rt; fome accidental Circumftance
might forcibly revive the remembrance of a friend or relation
whom fhe had loft, with a pungency of regret and ten-
dernefs which forced a vent by tears, and prompted her to
a repetition of the funereal rite.,
The ceremonies, however, do not ceafe with the mourning
prayers are ftill faid by the prieft, who is well paid by
the furviving relations, and offerings made at the Moral.
Some of the things, which from time to time are depofited
there, are emblematical: a young plantain reprefents the
deceafed, and the bunch of feathers the deity who is invoked.
The prieft places himfelf over-againft the fymbol o
the God, accompanied by fome of the relations, who are
furniffied with a fmall offering, and repeats his oraifon in a
fet form, confifting of Separate fentences ; at the fame time
weaving the leaves of the cocoa-nut into different forms,
which he afterwards depofits upon the ground where the
bones have been interred; the deity is then addreffed by a
ffirill fcreech, which is ufed only upon that occafion. When
the prieft retires, the tuft of feathers is removed, and the
provifions left to putrify, or be devoured by the rats.
Of the religion of thefe people, we were notable to acquire
any clear and confiftent knowlege: we found it like
the religion of moft other countries, involved m myftery,
and perplexed with apparent inconfiftences^ The religious
language is alfo here, as it is in China, different from tha
whfchfs ufed in common; fo that Tupia, who took great
pains to inftrudt us, having no words to exprefs his mean-
1 H h 2 ing
Religion,