er ancient
people. For an account of the latter, the reader may turn to Beloe's
Herodotus, vol. i. where observations are collected from several
authors.--E.]

In the evening we returned from Oparre, where we left Otoo, and all
the royal family; and I saw none of them till the 12th; when all, but
the chief himself, paid me a visit. He, as they told me, was gone to
Attahooroo, to assist, this day, at another human sacrifice, which the
chief of Tiaraboo had sent thither to be offered up at the _morai_.
This second instance, within the course of a few days, was
too melancholy a proof how numerous the victims of this bloody
superstition are amongst this humane people. I would have been present
at this sacrifice too, had I known of it in time; for now it was too
late. From the very same cause, I missed being present at a public
transaction, which had passed at Oparre the preceding day, when Otoo,
with all the solemnities observed on such occasions, restored to
the friends and followers of the late king Tootaha, the lands and
possessions which had been withheld from them, ever since his death.
Probably, the new sacrifice was the concluding ceremony of what may be
called the reversal of attainder.

The following evening, Otoo returned from exercising this most
disagreeable of all his duties as sovereign; and the next day, being
now honoured with his company, Captain Clerke and I, mounted on
horseback, took a ride round the plain of Matavai, to the very great
surprise of a great train of people who attended on the occasion,
gazing upon us with as much astonishment as if we had been centaurs.
Omai, indeed, had once or twice before this, attempted to get on
horseback; but he had as often been thrown off, before he could
contrive to seat himself; so that this was the first time they had
seen any body ride a horse. What Captain Clerke and I began, was,
after this, repeated every day, while we staid, by one or another
of our people. And yet the curiosity of the natives continued still
unabated. They were exceedingly delighted with these animals, after
they had seen the use that was made of them; and, as far as I could
judge, they conveyed to them a better idea of the greatness of other
nations, than all the other novelties put together that their European
visitors had carried amongst them. Both the horse and mare were in
good case, and looked extremely well.

The next day, Etary, or Olla, the god of Bolabola, who had, for
sever