were much inclined to do, and plainly told us, that he had done no more
than he ought.

Whilst I was ashore at the observatory at Karakakooa Bay, I had twice an
opportunity of seeing a considerable part of their funeral rites.
Intelligence was brought me of the death of an old chief in a house near
our observatories, soon after the event happened. On going to the place, I
found a number of people assembled, and seated round a square area,
fronting the house in which the deceased lay, whilst a man, in a red-
feathered cap, advanced from an interior part of the house to the door,
and, putting out his head, at almost every moment uttered a most lamentable
howl, accompanied with the most singular grimaces and violent distortions
of his face that can be conceived. After this had passed a short time, a
large mat was spread upon the area, and two men and thirteen women came out
of the house, and sate themselves down upon it, in three equal rows; the
two men and three of the women being in front. The necks and hands of the
women were decorated with, feathered ruffs; and broad green leaves,
curiously scolloped, were spread over their shoulders. At one corner of
this _area_, near a small hut, were half a dozen boys, waving small white
banners, and the tufted wands, or _taboo_ sticks which, have been often
mentioned, who would not permit us to approach them. This led me to imagine
that the dead body might be deposited in this little hut; but I afterwards
understood, that it was in the house where the man in the red cap opened
the rites, by playing his tricks at the door. The company just mentioned
being seated on the mat, began to sing a melancholy tune, accompanied with
a slow and gentle motion of the body and arms. When this had continued some
time, they raised themselves on their knees, and, in a posture between
kneeling and sitting, began by degrees to move their arms and their bodies
with great rapidity, the tune always keeping pace with their motions. As
these last exertions were too violent to continue long, they resumed, at