>779- w h ich had been colledled on the ihore, retired at our apjanaary.
^ proacj1 . an(j not a perfon was t0 be feen, except a few ly in g
proftrate on the ground, near the hu ts o f the adjoining
villa g e .
Before I proceed to relate the adoration that was paid to
Captain Cook, and the peculiar ceremonies w ith which he
w as received on this fata l ifland, it w ill be neceffary to de-
fcribe th e ‘ Moral, fituated, as I ha ve already mentioned, at
th e South’ fide o f the beach at Kakooa. It was a fquare folid
pile o f ftones, about fo r ty yards long , tw en ty broad, and
fourteen in h e ight. T h e top was flat, and w e ll paved, and fur-
rounded b y a wooden rail, on w h ic h were fixed the fculls o f
the captives, facrificed on the death o f their chiefs. In the
centre o f the area, flood, a ruinous old b u ild in g o f wood,
connected w ith the rail, on each fide, by a fton e w all, w h ich
divided the whole fpace into two parts. On the fide next
the country, were five poles, upward o f tw en ty feet h igh ,
fupporting an irregu la r kind o f fcafFold ; on the oppofite
fide, toward the fea, flood two fmall houfes, w ith a covered
communication.
We were co n d u c ed by Koah to the top o f this pile b y
i n eafy afcent, leading from the beach to the North Weft
Corner o f t\ie area. At the entra'nce, we faw two large
wooden images, with features violently diftorted, and a
lon g piece o f carved wood, o f a conical form inverted, riling
from the top o f their heads ;'th e reft w as without form, and
wrapped round w ith red cloth. We were here met b y a
tall y ou n g man with a long beard, who prefented Captain
Cook to the images, and after chanting a kin d o f hymn,
in w hich he was joined by Koah, they led us to that end o f
the Moral, where the five poles were fixed. At the foot o f
them
them were twelve images in a femicircular form, and be- ' 779-
fore the middle figure, flood a h ig h Hand or table, exacftly , Jan“arr-
re femblin g the Whatta * o f Otaheite, on w h ich la y a putrid
h o g , and under it pieces o f fugar-cane, cocoa-nuts, breadfru
it, plantains, and fwe et potatoes. Ko ah h a v in g placed
the Captain under this ftafld, took down the hog, and held
it toward h im ; and after ha vin g a fecond time addrefled
h im in a lo n g fpeech, pronounced w ith m u ch vehemence
and rapidity, he let it fa ll on the ground, and led him to
the fcaffolding, w h ich they began to clim b together, not
withou t great rifle o f fa llin g . A t this time w e faw, comin g
in folemn proceilion, at the entrance o f the top o f the Moral,
ten men ca rryin g a live hog, and a large piece o f red cloth.
Be ing advanced a few paces, the y flopped, and proffrated
themfelves j and Kaireekeea, the y o u n g man above-men tioned,
went to them, and re ce iv in g the cloth, carried it
to Kpah, w ho wrapped it round the Captain, and afterward1
offered h im the hog , w h ich was brou ght by Kaireekeea w ith
the fame ceremony.
Whilft Captain Cook was aloft, in ■ th il aukw ard fituation,
fwathed round w ith red cloth', and w ith difficulty k e ep in g
his hold amongft the pieces o f rotten fcaffolding, Kaireekeea
and Koah began their office, chanting fometimes in concert,
and fometimes alternately. T h is lafted a confiderable t im e ;
at length Koah let the h o g drop, w hen he and the Captain,
defcended together. He then led hitii to the images before
mentioned, and ha vin g faid fomething to each in a fneer-
in g tone, fnapping his fingers at them as he pafled,, he
brought him to that in the center, w hich,"from its b e in g
* Vid. Captain Cook’s former Voyage.
» covered.