ous part of the morai; the bundles and feathers were laid against the pile of stones, and two drums were beat slowly. The prayers were again renewed by the priests, while their attendants dug a grave, two feet deep, into which they threw the unhappy victim, and then covered him with earth and stones. At this time a boy squeaked aloud, and repeated his screams at intervals, while the drums were beat very loud. This was understood to be an invitation to the Eatooa to feast on the sacrifice: and now the dog was killed, and its entrails having been thrown into a fire to be consumed, its carcase was laid before the priests, who were praying round the grave; and afterwards laid on a whatta, or scaffold, where the remains of former sacrifices of dogs and hogs lay. Upon this a shout was raised by the priests, which closed the ceremonies of the day.
Next morning the solemnity was renewed; when a pig was sacrificed, and placed on the whatta. After some prayers and ceremonies, another pig was killed; and then the royal maro, a girdle about 5 yards long and 15 inches broad, richly adorned with red and yellow feathers, was taken out of one of the bundles, and displayed before Otoo, at whose feet a young plantain tree had been previously laid: and, a long prayer having been made, the maro was carefully folded up again, and deposited on the morai. The other bundle, containing the emblem of Oro, which our navigator was not allowed to see, was then opened at one end. The entrails of the pig that was last killed, were now spread forth, and carefully examined by the priests, to see if they presented any favourable omen; the examination being accompanied with
