n 8 A V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
1795.
January.
feveral of the chiefs, in their way to the morai. Soon after, a canoe covered
with an awning was feen coming from the weftward, paddling in a
flow and folemn manner towards the morai in which was the corpfe of
the deceafed chief. On their exprefling great anxiety to fee Pomurrey
for the purpofe of obtaining permiflion to attend the burial ceremony,
they were informed that he was gone to the morai, but would have no ob-
jeflion-to their being prefent. They proceeded ; and, near the rivulet
that flows by Urripiafis houfe, they faw the queen-mother, Pier re te, and
the .widow of the deceafed Mahow, fitting all in tears; and in the paroxyfms
o f their affliction, wounding- their heads with the lhark’s teeth they had
prepared the preceding evening. The widow had a fmall fpot fflaved
on the crown of her head, which was bloody, and , bore other evident
marks o f having frequently undergone the cruel effieft of her defpair.
B e i n g apprehenfive that the prefence of ftrangers might be unwelcome,
they took leave, and repaired to.the morai, where the prielts had already
begun their funeral folemnities. Pomurrey, Urripiah, and others filent-
ly affenting, they moved quietly through the affembly, and were feated
with as little interruption to the duties, as on entering a church in England
after the fervice is. commenced. Five priefts were feated before
Pomurrey, chanting a prayer, with their faces towards Otoo, who fat on
a man’s lap. About ten yards from him was held a bundle o f cloth,
which contained emblematically the Eatooa; a general name for their
deities. The body of Mahow, wrapped in Englilh red cloth, was depo-
fited under an awning in a- canoe, whofe bow was drawn up a little way
on the beach near the morai, and Was attended by one man only at her
Hern up to his middle in water, to prevent her driving from the fpot. The
priefts continued chanting their prayers, frequently exalting their voices,
until they ended in a very Ihrill tone. He who, on this occafion, performed
the office of chief prieft, was difcovered to be our friend Mow-
ree, whofe prayer was equally fervent, and continued nearly half an hour
longer than the reft; during which he was occasionally joined by another
prieft in a very Ihrill tone of voice. This prayer of Mowree’s
feemed, at intervals, like an expoftulation with the Divinity, by adverting
to the different produfitions of the ifland remaining, and ftill
flourilhing
flourilhing in the greateft plenty, and yet Matooara Mahow was fuffered 1792-
to die. j ' ■ 1
The addrefs being ended they all rofe up, and proceeded weftward along
the fhore, followed by the canoe in which was the corpfe, to the mouth of
the rivulet, where the three royal ladies ftill continued to indulge their ex-
ceflive grief; and who, on perceiving the canoe, burft forth into a loud
yell of lamentation, which was accompanied by an accelerated application
o f the lhark’s teeth, until the blood very freely following, mingled with
their tears. The canoe entered the brook, and proceeded towards another
morai at the foot o f the mountains, where the ceremonies to be performed
on the body of the deceafed required fuch fecrecy, that, on no account,
could our gentlemen be permitted to attend, although it was molt ear-
neftly requefted. As Tome alleviation to this difappointment, Pomurrey
promifed they Ihould fee the manner in which the remains would be de-
pbfited the next day, and earneftly intreated they would defift from following
the proceffion any further on the prefent occafion- As it was
generally fufpefted that the body was now to undergo the procels of
embalming, the party much lamented Pomurrey’s interdiction, as it deprived
them of the only opportunity that poflibly might ever occur of
becoming acquainted with the nature of this operation; whence might
be derived not only curious, but ufeful anatomical information. This
prompted Mr. Menzies to renew his felicitations to Pomurrey to be admitted
alone; but as thefe were attended with no better fuccefs, they
determined to abandon thefe melancholy folemnities, and extend their ex-
curfion a few miles weftward to Pomurrey's refidence; which they found
pleafantly fituated near the Ihore, confifting of two large houfes lately
erefted. Here they were entertained with a heava performed by a number
of very young girls, in the wanton manner of the country. A t a
particular part of the dance, a fellow ftept in among!! the performers,
and in a very obfcene though ludicrous manner entertained the native
audience; but, on our gentlemen exprefling their abhorrence of fuch
indecorous behaviour, the girls, in finilhing their parts, did not expofe
their perfons below the waift. After diftributing fome prefents to the
young aflreffes, they retired; and direfling their route back, through
the