Having waited here till they had all passed, we then repaired to Poulaho's house, and saw him going out. We could not be allowed to follow him, but were forthwith conducted to the place allotted to us, which was behind a fence, adjoining to the area of the fiatooka, where the yams had been deposited in the forenoon. As we were not the only people who were excluded from being publicly present at this ceremony, but allowed to peep from behind the curtain, we had a good deal of company; and I observed, that all the other inclosures round the place were filled with people. And yet all imaginable care seemed to be taken, that they should see as little as possible; for the fences had not only been repaired that morning, but in many places raised higher than common, so that the tallest man could not look over them. To remedy this defect in our station; we took the liberty to cut holes in the fence with our knives, and by this means we could see pretty distinctly every thing that was transacting on the other side.
On our arrival at our station, we found two or three hundred people sitting on the grass, near the end of the road that opened into the area of the morai, and the number continually increased by others joining them. At length, arrived a few men carrying some small poles, and branches or leaves of the cocoa-nut tree; and, upon their first appearance, an old man seated himself in the road and, with his face toward them, pronounced a long oration in a serious tone. He then retired back, and the others advancing to the middle of the area, began to erect a small shed, employing for that purpose the materials above-mentioned. When they had finished their work, they all squatted down for a moment before it, then rose up, and retired to the rest of the company. Soon after came Poulaho's son, preceded by four or five men, and they seated themselves a little aside from the shed, and rather behind it. After them, appeared twelve or fourteen women of the first rank, walking slowly in pairs, each pair carrying between them a narrow piece of white cloth extended, about two or three yards in length. These marched up to the prince, squatted down before him, and, having wrapped some of the pieces of the cloth they had brought round his body, they rose up, and retired in the same order to some distance on his left, and there seated themselves. Poulaho himself soon made his appearance, preceded by four men, who walked two and two abreast, and sat down on his son's left hand, about twenty paces from him. The young prince then quitting his first position, went and sat down under the shed with, his attendants; and a considerable number more placed themselves on the grass before this royal canopy. The prince himself sat facing the people, with his back to the morai. This being done, three companies, of ten or a dozen men in each, started up from amongst the large crowd a little after each other, and running hastily to the opposite side of the area, sat down for a few seconds; after which they returned in the same manner to their former stations. To them succeeded two men, each of whom held a small green branch in his hand, who got up and approached the prince, sitting down for a few seconds three different times as they advanced; and then, turning their backs, retired in the same manner, inclining their branches to each other as they sat. In a little time, two more repeated this ceremony.
The grand procession which I had seen march off from the other morai, now began to come in. To judge of the circuit they had made from the time they had been absent, it must have been pretty large. As they entered the area, they marched up to the right of the shed, and, having prostrated themselves on the grass, deposited their pretended burthens (the poles above-mentioned), and faced round to the prince. They then rose up, and retired in the same order, closing their hands, which they held before them, with the most serious aspect, and seated themselves along the front of the area. During all the time that this numerous band were coming in, and depositing their poles, three men who sat under the shed with the prince, continued pronouncing separate sentences in a melancholy tone. After this, a profound silence ensued for a little time, and then a man, who sat in the front of the area, began an oration (or prayer), during which, at several different times, he went and broke one of the poles, which had been brought in by those who had walked in procession. When he had ended, the people sitting before the shed separated, to make a lane, through which the prince and his attendants passed, and the assembly broke up.
Some of our party, satisfied with what they had already seen, now returned to the ships; but I, and two or three more of the officers, remained at Mooa to see the conclusion of the solemnity, which was not to be till the next day, being desirous of omitting no opportunity, which might afford any information about the religious or the political institutions of this people. The small sticks or poles, which had been brought into the area by those who walked in procession, being left lying on the ground, after the crowd had dispersed, I went and examined them. I found, that to the middle of each, two or three small sticks were tied, as has been related. Yet we had been repeatedly told by the natives, who stood near us, that they were young yams, insomuch that some of our gentlemen believed them, rather than their own eyes. As I had the demonstration of my senses to satisfy me, that they were not real yams, it is clear, that we ought to have understood them, that they were only the artificial representations of these roots.
Our supper was got ready about seven o'clock. It consisted of fish and yams. We might have had pork also, but we did not choose to kill a large hog, which the king had given to us for that purpose. He supped with us, and drank pretty freely of brandy and water, so that he went to bed with a sufficient dose. We passed the night in the same house with him and several of his attendants.
About one or two o'clock in the morning they waked, and conversed for about an hour, and then went to sleep again. All, but Poulaho himself, rose at day-break, and went, I know not whither. Soon after a woman, one of those who generally attended upon the chief, came in, and enquired where he was. I pointed him out to her, and she immediately sat down by him, and began the same operation, which Mr Anderson had seen practised upon Futtafaihe, tapping of beating gently, with her clinched fists, on his thighs. This, instead of prolonging his sleep, as was intended, had the contrary effect; however, though he awaked, he continued to lie down.
Omai and I now went to visit the prince, who had parted from us early in the evening. For he did not lodge with the king, but in apartments of his own, or at least such as had been allotted to him at some distance from his father's house. We found him with a circle of boys or youths about his own age, sitting before him, and an old woman and an old man, who seemed to have the care of him, sitting behind. There were others, both men and women, employed about their necessary affairs in different departments, who probably belonged to his household.
From the prince we returned to the king. By this time he had got up, and had a crowded circle before him, composed chiefly of old men. While a large bowl of kava was preparing, a baked hog and yarns, smoking hot, were brought in; the greatest part of which fell to our share, and was very acceptable to the boat's crew; for these people eat very little in a morning, especially the kava-drinkers. I afterward walked out, and visited several other chiefs, and found that all of them were taking their morning draught, or had already taken it. Returning to the king, I found him asleep in a small retired hut, with two women tapping on his breech. About eleven o'clock he arose again, and then some fish and yams, which tasted as if they had been stewed in cocoa-nut milk, were brought to him. Of these he eat a large portion, and lay down once more to sleep. I now left him, and carried to the prince a present of cloth, beads, and other articles, which I had brought with me from the ship for the purpose. There was a sufficient quantity of cloth to make him a complete suit, and he was immediately decked out with it. Proud of his dress, he first went to shew himself to his father, and then conducted me to his mother, with whom were about ten or a dozen other women of a respectable appearance. Here the prince changed his apparel, and made me a present of two pieces of the cloth manufactured in the island. By this time it was past noon, when, by appointment, I repaired to the palace to dinner. Several of our gentlemen had returned this morning from the ships, and we were all invited to the feast, which was presently served up, and consisted of two pigs and yams. I roused the drowsy monarch to partake of what he had provided for our entertainment. In the mean time, two mullets, and some shellfish, were brought to him, as I supposed, for his separate portion. But he joined it to our fare, sat down with us, and made a hearty meal.
When dinner was over, we were told that the ceremony would soon begin, and were strictly enjoined not to walk out. I had resolved, however, to peep no longer from behind the curtain, but to mix with the actors themselves, if possible. With this view, I stole out from the plantation, and walked toward the morai, the scene of the solemnity. I was several times desired to go back by people whom I met, but I paid no regard to them, and they suffered me to pass on. When I arrived at the morai, I found a number of men seated on the side of the area, on each side of the road that leads up to it. A few were sitting on the opposite side of the area, and two men in the middle of it, with their, faces turned to the morai. When I got into the midst of the first company, I was desired to sit down, which I accordingly did. Where I sat, there were lying a number of small bundles or parcels, composed of cocoa-nut leaves, and tied to sticks made into the form of hand-barrows. All the information I could get about them was, that they were taboo. Our number kept continually increasing, every one coming from the same quarter. From time to time, one or another of the company turned himself to those who were coming to join us, and made a short speech, in which I could remark that the word arekee, that is, king, was generally mentioned. One man said something that produced bursts of hearty laughter from all the crowd; others of the speakers met with public applause. I was several times desired to leave the place, and, at last, when they found that I would not stir, after some seeming consultation, they applied to me to uncover my shoulders as theirs were. With this request I complied, and then they seemed to be no longer uneasy at my presence.
I sat a full hour, without any thing more going forward, beside what I have mentioned. At length the prince, the women, and the king, all came in, as they had done the day before. The prince being placed under the shed, after his father's arrival, two men, each carrying a piece of mat, came repeating something seriously, and put them about him. The assembled people now began their operations; and first, three companies ran backward and forward across the area, as described in the account of the proceedings of the former day. Soon after, the two men, who sat in the middle of the area, made a short speech or prayer, and then the whole body, amongst whom I had my place, started up, and ran and seated themselves before the shed under which the prince, and three or four men, were sitting. I was now partly under the management of one of the company, who seemed very assiduous to serve me. By his means, I was placed in such a situation, that if I had been allowed to make use of my eyes, nothing that passed could have escaped me. But it was necessary to sit with down-cast looks, and demure as maids.