Polynesian Researches, During a Residence of Nearly Six Years in the South Sea Islands, Including Descriptions of the Natural History and Scenery of the Islands, with Remarks on the History, Mythology, Traditions, Government, Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1829 edition. Excerpt: ...but is more frequently taken on the low, coralline, sandy reefs in the neighbourhood. Tubai, and other low islands of this kind, a short distance from Borobora, are celebrated for the numbers and quality of the turtle they furnish. This fish was formerly considered saicred, and was cooked within the precincts of the temple, part being offered to the gods, and the remainder eaten only by sacred persons. It is now eaten indifferently by any one, though most of those caught by the people are taken as presents to the chiefs. The rivers furnish few fresh-water fish; eels are the principal, and they are very fine. Connected with the fresh-water fish, a phenomenon is often observed, for which the natives are puzzled to account. In the hollows of the rocks, and in other places, to which they suppose the sea and the river never gain access, and where the water collected is entirely what falls from the clouds, small but regularly formed fish are sometimes found. The people have frequently expressed their surprise at finding them, and appeared to wonder how they ever came there. They call them topataua, literally, rain-drop, supposing they must have fallen from the clouds with the rain. Eels are great favourites, and are tamed, and fed till they attain an enormous size. Taaroarii had several in different parts of the island. These pets were kept in large holes, two or three feet deep, partially filled with water. On the sides of these pits, the eels formed or found an aperture in a horizontal direction, in which they generally remained, excepting when called by the person who fed them. I have been several times with the young chief, when he has sat down by the side of the hole, and by giving a shrill sort of whistle has brought out an enormous eel, which...