January. der regard> manifelled to Mahow by the whole party when alive. The
----v— j grief of thefe good people is o f two defcriptions, natural and artificial;
it is exceffive on the firfl: impulfe, but foon moderates and wears away.
The corpfe was laid on the tapapaoo, which feemed to have been
erefied for the exprefs purpofe about a quarter o f a mile to the eaft-
ward o f the grand morai; (or as it is called, “ tapootapootatea”) and
appeared to be then undergoing the latter part of the embalming proo
fs . in the fame manner as defcribed by Captain Cook in the inftance
o f Tee, The body was expofed to the fun; and, On our approach; the
covering was taken off, which exhibited the cOrpfe in a very advanced
ftate o f putrefaftion. The Ikin (hone very bright with the cocoa-nut
oil, with which it had been anointed, and which, we underftood, was
highly impregnated with “ aehigh,” or fweet-fcented wood. One of the
arms and a leg being moved, the joints appeared perfectly flexible.
The extremely offenfive exhalations that were emitted, rendered it natural
to conclude, that the whole mafs would foon be completely de-
compofed; but, i f credit may be given to their aflertions, which were
indubitably confirmed by the remains of Tee, and to which I could
myfelf bear teftimony, this will not be the cafe. Pomurrey informed
us, the Corpfe was to remain a month in this place; then a month was
to be employed in its vifiting fome o f the weftern diftrifls ; after which
it was to be removed to Tiaraboo for another month; whence it was to
be carried to Morea, and there finally depofited with his forefathers in
the morai of the family. In the courfe of a few months after its arrival
there, it would gradually begin to moulder away, but by fuch very flow
degrees, that feveral months would elapfe, before the body would be
entirely confumed.
This method of embalming, or rather preferving human bodies, is
certainly an objeft o f great curiofity ; particularly, when it is confider-
'ed that it is performed under the influence o f a vertical fu n ; fome-
times in the rainy feafon ; and that the operators are totally ignorant
of the properties o f fpices, falts, &c. &c. as antifceptics. Whether
their preparations be fimple or compounded, or what may be the peculiarities
obferved in the procefs, remains, I believe, intirely unknown to
Europeans;
Europeans; and it is much to be regretted, that their religious inter-*
di&ions precluded our attending the whole of thefe myfterious obfequies,
as many veflels may vifit this country without meeting fo favorable an
opportunity, with perfons on board qualified and inclined to direct fuch
inquiries to effeft.
The boat’s crew were ranged before the paling that encompafled the
tapapaoo ; the piece of red cloth was given to the widow, who fpread it
over the dead body; fome vollies were then fired, and I was directed
to pronounce “ Tera no osa Mahow',' that is, For you Mahow. On
fome rain falling, the body was taken undercover, and carefully wrapped
up. We had but a few yards to retire to Pomurrey’s habitation,
where himfelf and family had taken up a temporary abode for this oc-
cafion; but the exceedingly oflenfive fmell o f the corpfe obliged us to
proceed to an excellent new houfe of Whytooa’s, a little to the weftward
of Pomurrey’s former habitation, which had been deftroyed during the
late wars, and had not been rebuilt; nor did it appear that he had any
other houfe at prefent in this part of the diftrift. Here we dined, and
returned to Matavai with two large hogs, prefented on this mournful
occafion by the widow o f Makow.
Our friends with their axes made fo little progrefs, that, on wednefday Wednef. 18.
morning, I requefted Urripiah would point out fuch trees as we might
cut down ourfelves. This, with Whytooa’s afliftance, he fhortly did; and
we procured of the apple, and bread-fruit, fuflficient numbers to fupply
our wants. Parties for this fervice were fent on lhore, and the axes lent
to the chiefs for this exprefs purpofe, were directed to be forthwith re*-
turned ; with which Urripiah, Whytooa, and Poeno, immediately complied.
The mourning for Mahow being now at an end, the royal females
.paid us a vifit, and returned after dinner to Oparre. Pomurrey, his
father, wives, brothers and fillers, with our feveral friends, were again
about us the next morning, perfectly cheerful and in high fpirits. As Thurflayig,
funday was now determined upon for our departure, the preceding evening
was fixed for a further-difplay of fire-works, in which all our
friends feemed to anticipate much pleafure. Pomurrey returned in the
evening