shortly afterwards swooned away; when recovered from this, still finding himself very ill, he was taken to the house of a priest[1] who told the sick chief that it was a woman, mentioning her name, who had died two years before, and was now in Bolotoo[2], that had inspired him; that she was deeply in love with him, and wished him to die (which event was to happen in a few days,) that she might have him near her: the chief replied that he had seen the figure of a female two or three successive nights in his sleep, and had begun to suspect he was inspired by her, though he could not tell who she was. He died two days afterwards. Mr. Mariner visited the sick chief three or four times, at the house of the priest, and heard the latter foretel his death and the occasion of it.
Now we are upon this subject it may not be amiss to mention that Finow's son, who at this period of our history was at the Navigator's, islands, used to be inspired by the spirit[3] of
- ↑ It is customary to take sick persons to the house of a priest, that the will of the gods may be known. The priest becomes immediately inspired, and remains almost constantly in that state while the sick person is with him. If he does not get better in two or three days he is taken to another priest, &c.
- ↑ Bolotoo is the name they give to their paradise, and is supposed to be an island to the north-westward.
- ↑ The souls of deceased nobles become gods of the second rank in Bolotoo.
