Potatou had joined us, nothing was
done.

"A chief from Eimeo came with a small pig, and a plantain-tree, and
placed them at Otoo's feet. They talked some time together; and the
Eimeo chief often repeating the words, _Warry, warry_, 'false,' I
supposed that Otoo was relating to him what he had heard, and that the
other denied it.

"The next day (Wednesday) Towha and Potatou, with about eight large
canoes, arrived, and landed near the _morai_. Many plantain-trees were
brought, on the part of different chiefs to Otoo. Towha did not stir
from his canoe. The ceremony began by the principal priest bringing
out the _maro_ wrapped up, and a bundle shaped like a large
sugar-loaf. These were placed at the head of what I understood to be a
grave. Then three priests came, and sat down opposite, that is, at the
other end of the grave; bringing with them a plantain-tree, the branch
of some other tree, and the sheath of the flower of the cocoa-nut
tree.

"The priests, with these things in their hands, separately repeated
sentences; and, at intervals, two, and sometime all three, sung a
melancholy ditty, little attended to by the people. This praying
and singing continued for an hour. Then, after a short prayer, the
principal priest uncovered the _maro_; and Otoo rose up, and wrapped
it about him, holding, at the same time, in his hand, a cap or bonnet,
composed of the red feathers of the tail of the tropic bird, mixed
with other feathers of a dark colour. He stood in the middle space,
facing the three priests, who continued their prayers for about ten
minutes; when a man, starting from the crowd, said something which
ended with the word _heiva!_ and the crowd echoed back to him, three
times, _Earee!_ This, as I had been told before, was the principal
part of the solemnity.

"The company now moved to the opposite side of the great pile of
stones, where is, what they call, the king's _morai_, which is not
unlike a large grave. Here the same ceremony was performed over
again, and ended in three cheers. The _maro_ was now wrapped up, and
increased in its splendour by the addition of a small piece of red
feathers, which one of the priests gave Otoo when he had it on, and
which he stuck into it.

"From this place, the people went to a large hut, close by the
_morai_, where they seated themselves in much greater order than is
usual among them. A man of Tiaraboo then made an oration, which lasted
about ten minutes. He was followed by