nd roasted
bread-fruit, and plantains, and fish, and other articles of food, all
served in large leaves. The bread-fruit is about the size of a
horse-chestnut, and when baked is somewhat of the consistency of new
bread. It is not fit to be eaten raw. The king and the people seem
friendly; but to my mind there is no dependence to be placed on them.
It is made clear to us that they are sadly depraved, nor can I describe
many of the scenes which take place. Suffice it to say that, like other
heathens who know not God, they give themselves up to work all manner of
abominations without constraint or shame. We place a guard during the
night; but when we awake there is great shouting among our party for
missing articles, and it is found that we all have been robbed of
articles of dress, knives, pistols, handkerchiefs, and pocket-books.
Phineas declares that he will shoot the first savage he finds
purloining, chief or not. We complain of our loss to the king, who gets
back some of the articles; but Taro surmises that he has got the
remainder himself.

After a bountiful breakfast we continue our progress through the island.
Our surprise is great to come upon a large edifice of stone among a
people supposed only able to erect huts of leaves. It is a pyramid,
nearly three hundred feet long and one hundred wide, with a flight of
steps on either side leading to the summit, which is fifty feet from the
ground. On the top is a bird made of wood, and a fish of stone. This
building forms one side of a court, the other three sides being composed
of a wall of hewn stone; the enclosed area is covered with a pavement of
flat stones. In this court are several altars of stone, on which are
placed baskets of bread-fruit, sweet potatoes, cocoa-nuts, and other
food, which we conclude were offerings to their Eatuas, or gods, which
they ignorantly worship. Not far off we come upon a figure of one of
these gods. It is made of wicker-work, in the form of a man; it is
seven feet high, and covered over with black and white feathers. We
learn that this pyramid is a temple, and that the court is a
burying-place, called a Morai; the altars are called Ewattuas. While we
are about to proceed on our journey we see a concourse of people
collecting from all quarters, and hurrying toward the morai. We inquire
of Taro for what object they are assembling.

"To offer a sacrifice to their Eatua, their god," he answers.

"Of what will the sacrific