Voyage of H. M. S. Blonde to the Sandwich Islands, in the Years 1824-1825 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1826 edition. Excerpt: ... No. II. THE PULE ANANA, OR PRAYER OF INCANTATION. February 28.--Returning from a walk this morning, I witnessed, for the first time, a rite of sorcery. My attention was attracted by a group of people near the path I was passing. On approaching it, though ignorant of the particular ceremony performing, I at once judged it to be idolatrous. A small mat was spread on the ground, on which were spread several pieces of tapa, a native cloth, and on those again two of the large leaves of the apt (one of the largest of the vegetable productions of the Islands--do not know its scientific name). These last seemed to have been prepared with special care; they were both of the same size; were placed the one directly above the other, both of the stems being split entirely up to the point of the leaves. They were carefully held together by a man kneeling at one end, while the priest or sorcerer, kneeling at the other, repeated prayers over them. These, with two or three others who appeared engaged in the ceremony, were as solemn as the grave; the rest of the company were light and trifling, and some of them turned to me, and laughing at what they seemed to think the folly of their friends, said, ino, ino--bad, bad--pupaka--foolish--debelo--devilish On inquiring what it meant, they told me a pipe had been stolen from one of the men, and the incantation was making to discover the thief, and to pray him to death. On reproving them for their superstition and wickedness, they became disconcerted, and the man holding the leaves made some unfortunate movement, which the man praying said had destroyed the effect, and immediately ceased to pray. Perhaps there is no superstition more general and deep-rooted in the minds of this people than the belief that some...