Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/179

Rh THE TONGA ISLANDS. 113 hogs, fowls, and cocoa-nuts, so that nobody but great chiefs may use them for food, under pain of death. This taboo lasts about eight months: AVlien Mr. Mariner first arrived at these islands, Tooitonga, the predecessor of the present Tooi- tonga, had just died, and the ceremony of his burial was being performed ; though this gen- tleman had not the opportunity of witnessing it. All the feasting consequent upon this event being over, the taboo was imposed upon the ar- ticles above named ; and now, after the lapse of eight months, comes the period to take it off,' and the accomplishment of this constitutes the ceremony in question. It must be mentioned, by the way, that two or three plantations are not subject to this taboo, to the end that hogs, fowls, and cocoa-nuts, may be furnished for oc- casional religious rites, and for the consumption of the higher order of chiefs. If the removal of the taboo were not performed in due time^ it is supposed that the Gods would become exceed- ingly angry, and revenge themselves by the death of some of their great chiefs. Finow, as before stated, seeing no appearance of an enemy, and being anxious to return to Hapai for the performance of this ceremony, con- sulted the Gods, and was admonished by them to proceed to the Hapai islands as soon as pos- sible. With this view, he at first intended to VOL. I. I ,