As soon as the corpse was committed to its last resting-place, the
mourners selected five old coco-nuts, opened them one after the other,
and poured the water on the ground. These nuts were then wrapt up in
leaves and native cloth and thrown towards the grave; or, if the corpse
had been let down by cords into the deep chasm called Auraka, the nuts
and other food would be cast down successively upon it. Calling loudly
each time the name of the departed, they said, "Here is thy food; eat
it." When the fifth nut and the accompanying pudding were thrown down,
the mourners cried, "Farewell! we come back no more to thee."[50]

[50] W. W. Gill, _Myths and Songs from the South Pacific_, p.
187; _id._, "Mangaia (Hervey Islands)," _op. cit._ p. 344.

Immediately after a decease a remarkable custom was observed in Mangaia.
A messenger was despatched to bear the tidings round the island. On
reaching the boundary of each district, he paused to give the war-shout
peculiar to the people of the district, adding, "So-and-so is dead."
Thereupon near relatives would start off at once for the house of the
deceased, each carrying a present of native cloth. Most of the athletic
young men of the entire island on the day following united in a series
of sham-fights called _ta i te mauri_ or "slaying the ghosts." The
district where the corpse lay represented the _mauri_ or ghosts. The
young men belonging to it early in the morning arrayed themselves as if
for battle, and, well armed, started off for the adjoining district,
where the young men were drawn up in battle array under the name of
_aka-oa_ or "friends." Having performed the war-dance, the two parties
rushed together, clashing their spears and wooden swords, as though
fighting in good earnest. The sufferers in this bloodless conflict were
supposed to be malignant spirits, who would thus be deterred from doing
further mischief to mortals. After the mock battle the combatants
united, and, being collectively called _mauri_ or "ghosts," passed on to
the third district. Throughout the day their leader carried the sacred
_iku kikau_, or coco-nut leaf, at the pit of his stomach, like a dead
man. Arrived at the third village, they found the younger men ready for
the friendly conflict and bearing the name of _aka-oa_ or "friends." The
battle of the ghosts was fought over again, and then with swelling
numbers they passed on to the fourth, fifth, and sixth districts, in
every one of the