pigeon on a perch, closed the
rear, of the procession, in which about two hundred and fifty persons
walked.

Omai was desired by me to ask the chief, to what place the yams were to
be thus carried with so much solemnity? but, as he seemed unwilling to
give us the information we wanted, two or three of us followed the
procession contrary to his inclination. We found that they stopped
before a _morai_ or _fiatooka_ of one house standing upon a mount, which
was hardly a quarter of a mile from the place where they first
assembled. Here we observed them depositing the yams, and making them up
into bundles; but for what purpose we could not learn. And, as our
presence seemed to give them uneasiness, we left them and returned to
Poulaho, who told us we might amuse ourselves by walking about, as
nothing would be done for some time. The fear of losing any part of the
ceremony prevented our being long absent. When we returned to the king,
he desired me to order the boat's crew not to stir from the boat; for,
as every thing would very soon be _taboo_, if any of our people, or of
their own, should be found walking about, they would be knocked down
with clubs, nay _mateed_, that is, killed. He also acquainted us, that
we could not be present at the ceremony, but that we should be conducted
to a place, where we might see every thing that passed. Objections were
made to our dress. We were told, that, to qualify us to be present, it
was necessary that we should be naked as low as the breast, with our
hats off, and our hair untied. Omai offered to conform to these
requisites, and began to strip; other objections were then started; so
that the exclusion was given to him equally with ourselves.

I did not much like this restriction, and, therefore, stole out to see
what might now be going forward. I found very few people stirring,
except those dressed to attend the ceremony; some of whom had in their
hands small poles about four feet long, and to the underpart of these
were fastened two or three other sticks; not bigger than one's finger,
and about six inches in length. These men were going toward the _morai_
just mentioned. I took the same road, and was several times stopped by
them, all crying out _taboo_. However, I went forward without much
regarding them, till I came in sight of the _morai_, and of the people
who were sitting before it. I was now urged very strongly to go back,
and, not knowing what might be the consequence of a re