being done, the temporary house is taken to pieces, and thrown behind the fytoca in the hole, out of which the earth was originally dug to raise the mount on which the fytoca stands*: in this hole also are thrown all the baskets in which the sand was brought, as well as the remaining quantity of earth not used in filling up the grave. The ground within the fytoca is now covered with mats, similar to what are commonly used in the houses, and which are made of the leaves of the cocoa-nut tree. During the whole of this time the company was seated on the green before the fytoca, still clothed in mats, and their necks strung with the leaves of the ifi tree: after this they arose and went to their respective ha bitations, where they shaved their heads, and burnt their cheeks with a small lighted roll of tápa†, by applying it once upon each cheek bone; after which, the place was rubbed with the astringent berry of the matchi, which occasions it to bleed, and with the blood they smeared about the wound, in a circular form,

* Or rather the house upon the fytoca, for the latter is a term given merely to the mount and the grave within it, for they have several fytocas which have no houses on them.

+ Tápa differs from gnatoo merely by its not being stamped or imprinted with any pattern.

to about two inches in diameter, giving themselves a very unseemly appearance*. They repeat this friction with the berry every day, making the wound bleed afresh: and the men, in the mean time, neglect to shave, and to oil themselves during the day; they do, however, at night, for the comfort which this operation affords. After having, in the first place, burnt their cheeks and shaved their heads, they built for themselves small temporary huts, for their own accommodation during the time of mourning, which lasts twenty days. The women, who have become tabooed by touching the dead body, remain constantly in the fytoca, except when they want food, for which they retire to one or other of these temporary houses, to be fed as mentioned in the note, p. 150, but they sleep in the fytoca. The provi sions with which these tabooed women and mourners in general are provided were sent, on this occasion, with bales of gnatoo, first to the young prince, by the different chiefs and matabooles; the prince then ordered the greater

* Those whose love for the deceased is very great, or who wish it to be thought so, instead of burning their cheeks in the way mentioned, rub off the cuticle by beating and rubbing their cheeks with platt wound round their hands, made of the husk of the cocoa-nut; and this is a most painful operation.

part of them to be sent to the tabooed women; and they were accordingly carried and placed on the ground, at some distance from the grave, or else laid down before the temporary house, to which the chief of the tabooed women retires to be fed; and she orders them to be distributed to the different chiefs and matabooles, who again share them out in the usual way. The fifth and tenth days of such a ceremony are, however, marked by a greater quantity of provision than ordinary being sent, for which they give no reason but that of custom. On the twentieth day there is also an. unusually large quantity sent; and this is by way of finishing the funeral ceremony. With these provisions they also send every day a supply of tomes*, to light up the fytoca during the night: these tomes are held by a woman, who, when fatigued with this office, is relieved by another: those who take the light into their charge are of the lower ranks. They, as well as the others, when not oppressed by sleep, in general spend their time in talking upon indifferent subjects. During these twenty days also, if any one passes the fytoca, he must not proceed in his ordinary careless way, swinging his arms, but with a slow pace, his head

The tóme is a sort of torch.

bowed down, and his hands clasped before him, if he have no burden; and if he have, he must lower it, (from his shoulder for instance,) and carry it in his hands, or upon his bended arms:—but if he can conveniently do it, he will go a circuitous route, to avoid the grave. Here it may be observed, that, on all occasions, when a man with a burden passes a great chief, or the grave of a great chief, particularly if there is any one near to see him, he lowers his burden out of respect. Every day also, one or more approach, and sit before the grave for two or three hours, beating their faces with their fists, or bruising their heads with clubs, in which latter case they stand up*. These are the uniform and essential circumstances which always take place during this part of the ceremony of burying chiefs,we now come to speak of those which were peculiar to this particular instance.

On the day after the deceased How was put in the ground, the principal chiefs and matabooles requested the prince to intimate to

*Finow's chief widow, Mooónga Toobó, every morning, attended by her women, cut the grass short before the grave with knives and sharp shells, sweeping away leaves and loose blades with brooms made of the husk of the cocoa-nut leaf: they also procured sweet-scented plants, principally the jiále, and planted them before the grave.

Voona, and certain other chiefs, their wish that they should go to the Hapai islands: this he did; but, at the same time, gave them liberty to stop till the funeral ceremony was concluded. Voona received this intimation in a becoming manner, acknowledging the impropriety of his stay, if the people were any way jealous of his presence. The prince apo logized for this step, urging the wish of his people as his sole motive; and expressed, with great warmth, his wish that he who had been so long his friend and companion would still remain his associate.

The following day, at a general assembly of the chiefs and matabooles, after the cava was prepared, and the two first cups handed out, the third, which, according to custom, is presented to the chief who presides, was next filled; and when an attendant, as usual, declared aloud that the cup was filled, all eyes were fixed on the prince, whilst the mataboole who sat next to him exclaimed, "Give it to Finow!"—and it was accordingly handed to him, whilst he assumed an appearance of perfect unconcern at the name by which, for the first time, he was called*. And this was a matter of no small importance; for had he

* See note, p. 383.