The Tongans also believed in a mode of divination (essentially
similar to the casting of lots) the twirling of a cocoanut.


The object of inquiry ... is chiefly whether a sick person will
recover; for this purpose the nut being placed on the ground, a
relation of the sick person determines that, if the nut, when
again at rest, points to such a quarter, the east for example,
that the sick man will recover; he then prays aloud to the
patron god of the family that he will be pleased to direct the
nut so that it may indicate the truth; the nut being next spun,
the result is attended to with confidence, at least with a full
conviction that it will truly declare the intentions of the gods
at the time (vol. ii. p. 227).


Does not the action of Saul, on a famous occasion, involve
exactly the same theological presuppositions?


Therefore Saul said unto Jahveh, the Elohim of Israel, Shew the
right. And Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot: but the people
escaped. And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan
my son. And Jonathan was taken. And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell
me what thou hast done. ... And the people rescued Jonathan so
that he died not (1 Sam. xiv. 41-45).


As the Israelites had great yearly feasts, so had the
Polynesians; as the Israelites practised circumcision, so did