counts of more modern nations. But
the subject is not very inviting to extensive research.--E.]

Their long and general mourning proves that they consider death as a
very great evil. And this is confirmed by a very odd custom which they
practise to avert it. When I first visited these islands, during my last
voyage, I observed that many of the inhabitants had one or both of their
little fingers cut off, and we could not then receive any satisfactory
account of the reason of this mutilation.[187] But we now learned, that
this operation is performed when they labour under some grievous
disease, and think themselves in danger of dying. They suppose, that the
Deity will accept of the little finger, as a sort of sacrifice
efficacious enough to procure the recovery of their health. They cut it
off with one of their stone hatchets. There was scarcely one in ten of
them whom we did not find thus mutilated in one or both hands, which has
a disagreeable effect, especially as they sometimes cut so close, that
they encroach upon the bone of the hand, which joins to the amputated
finger.[188]

[Footnote 187: Cantova's account of the practice of the Caroline
Islands, is as follows: "Lorsqu'il meurt quelque personne d'un rang
distmgue, ou qui leur est chere par d'autres endroits, ses obseques se
font avec pompe. Il y eu a qui renferment le corps da defunct dans un
petit edifice de pierre, qu'ils gardent au-dedans de leur maisons.
D'autres les enterrent loin de leurs habitations."--_Lettres Edifiantes
et Curieuses_, tom. xv. p. 308, 309.--D.]

[Footnote 188: It may be proper to mention here, on the authority of
Captain King, that it is common for the inferior people to cut off a
joint of their little finger, on account of the sickness of the chiefs
to whom they belong.--D.]

From the rigid severity with which some of these mourning and religious
ceremonies are executed, one would expect to find, that they meant
thereby to secure to themselves felicity beyond the grave; but their
principal object relates to things merely temporal. For they seem to
have little conception of future punishment for faults committed in this
life. They believe, however, that they are justly punished upon earth;
and consequently use every method to render their divinities propitious.
The Supreme Author of most things they call _Kallafootonga_, who, they
say, is a female residing in the sky, and directing the thunder, wind,
rain, and, in general, all the ch