Whenever war was in contemplation, the
diviners used to sacrifice animals, generally hogs and fowls, and to
draw omens from the manner in which they expired, from the appearance of
their entrails, and from other signs. Sometimes, when the animal was
slain, they disembowelled it, took out the spleen, and, holding it in
their hands, offered their prayers. But if the contemplated expedition
was of any importance or the danger was imminent, human sacrifices were
offered to ensure the co-operation of the war-gods in the destruction of
their enemies.[118]

[117] A. Marcuse, _op. cit._ p. 103.

[118] W. Ellis, iv. 150 _sq._

Sec. 8. _Festivals_

In every lunar month the people celebrated four festivals. The festival
of the new moon lasted three nights and two days; the three others
lasted two nights and one day. These nights and days were taboo or
sacred: men who took part in the festivals might not speak to a woman
under pain of death, and all the people were forbidden to sail the sea,
to fish, to make bark-cloth, and to play games.[119] Besides these
monthly festivals there was one called Macahity, which lasted for a
whole month and seems to have celebrated the end of the old year. It
fell in November, and has been compared by Lisiansky to our festival of
Christmas. He tells us that "it continues a whole month, during which
the people amuse themselves with dances, plays, and sham-fights of every
kind. The king must open this festival wherever he is. On this occasion,
his majesty dresses himself in his richest cloak and helmet, and is
paddled in a canoe along the shore, followed sometimes by many of his
subjects. He embarks early, and must finish his excursion at sun-rise.
The strongest and most expert of the warriors is chosen to receive him
on his landing. This warrior watches the royal canoe along the beach;
and as soon as the king lands, and has thrown off his cloak, he darts
his spear at him, from a distance of about thirty paces, and the king
must either catch the spear in his hand, or suffer from it: there is no
jesting in the business. Having caught it, he carries it under his arm,
with the sharp end downwards, into the temple or _heavoo_. On his
entrance, the assembled multitude begin their sham-fights, and
immediately the air is obscured by clouds of spears, made for the
occasion with blunted ends. Hamamea [the king, Kamehameha] has been
frequently advised to abolish this ridiculous ceremony, in which