also placed in
the morai. This coffer is called _ewharre no te orometua_, the house of
a teacher or master. After this the mourning ceases, except some of the
women continue to be really afflicted for the loss, and in that case
they will sometimes suddenly wound themselves with the shark's tooth
wherever they happen to be: This perhaps will account for the passion
of grief in which Terapo wounded herself at the fort; some accidental
circumstance might forcibly revive the remembrance of a friend or
relation whom she had lost, with a pungency of regret and tenderness
which forced a vent by tears, and prompted her to a repetition of the
funeral rite.

The ceremonies, however, do not cease with the mourning: Prayers are
still said by the priest, who is well paid by the surviving relations,
and offerings made at the morai. Some of the things, which from time to
time are deposited there, are emblematical: A young plantain represents
the deceased, and the bunch of feathers the deity who is invoked. The
priest places himself over against the symbol of the god, accompanied by
some of the relations, who are furnished with a small offering, and
repeats his oraison in a set form, consisting of separate sentences; at
the same time weaving the leaves of the cocoa-nut into different forms,
which he afterwards deposits upon the ground where the bones have been
interred; the deity is then addressed by a shrill screech, which is used
only upon that occasion. When the priest retires, the tuft of feathers
is removed, and the provisions left to putrify, or be devoured by the
rats.[30]

[Footnote 30: There is something very remarkable in the circumstance of
resemblance among very different and distant people, as to the practice
of mourning for the dead, when in fact there can be no such thing as
grief in existence, and when the appearance of it is merely a part of
what may be called professional duty. It is clear from the accounts of
the text and other authorities, that more are concerned in this mourning
work at Otaheite, than are really concerned in the occasion of it; and
the probability of course is, that in some way or other these additional
attendants are recompensed for their doleful services. That the use of
mercenary mourners prevailed, and still prevails, among some eastern
nations, is clear from Scripture and the relations of recent authors.
The reader will find some amusing information concerning them, and an
account of the Cao