and position of the stars, especially at sea. These were their only guides, in steering their fragile barks across the deep. When setting out on a voyage, some particular star or constellation was selected as their guide in the night. This they called their aveia, and by this name they now designate the compass, because it answers the The Pleiades were a favourite

same purpose. aveia with their sailors, and by them, in the present voyage, we steered during the night. We had, indeed, a lantern and a compass in the boat, but, being a light ship's compass, it was of little service.

Although the Polynesians were destitute of all correct knowledge of the sciences, the first principles of which have been recently taught in the academy more regularly than they had heretofore been, they had what might be called a rude system of astronomy. They possessed more than one method of computing time; and their extensive use of numbers is astonishing, when we consider that their computations were purely efforts of mind, unassisted by books or figures.

Their ideas, as might naturally be expected, were fabulous in the extreme. They imagined that the sea which surrounded their islands was a level plane, and that at the visible horizon, or some distance beyond it, the sky, or rai, joined the ocean, enclosing as with an arch, or hollow cone, the islands in the immediate vicinity. They were acquainted with other islands, as Nuuhiva, or the Marquesas, Vaihi, or the Sandwich Islands, Tongatabu, or the Friendly Islands. The names of these occurred in their traditions or songs. Subsequently, too, they had heard of Beritani, or Britain, Paniola, or Spain, &c. but they imagined

that each of these had a distinct atmosphere, and was enclosed in the same manner as they thought the heavens surrounded their own islands. Hence they spoke of foreigners as those who came from behind the sky, or from the other side of what they considered the sky of their part of the world.

What their opinions were, as to the material of the heaven to which they gave such definite boundaries, I could never learn; but, according to their mythology, there was a series of celestial strata, or tua, ten in number, each stratum being the abode of spirits or gods, whose elevation was regulated by their rank or powers; the tenth, or last heaven, which was perfect darkness, being called te rai haamama of tane, and being the abode of the first class only.

We often experienced a degree of confusion in our ideas connected with their use of the term po, night or darkness, and its various compounds. They usually, but not invariably, spoke of the region of night as i raro, or below. In this instance, in describing the highest heaven, the purest region, they spoke of it also as the po. After describing the nine heavens, or stratum of clouds or light, inhabited by the different orders of inferior deities, they represent the tenth, or most remote from the earth, and the abode of the principal gods, as te rai haamama no tane, &c. the opening or unfolding to the po, or perpetual darkness. From this mode of representation, it appears that the islanders imagined the universe to be chaotic, and that in its vast immensity their islands and ocean, with the sky arching over them, were enclosed, and that below the foundation of the earth, on which they stood, and

above the firmament over their heads, this po, or darkness, prevailed.

With respect to the origin of the sun, which they formerly called ra, and more recently mahana, some of their traditions state that it was the offspring of the gods, and was itself an animated being; others, that it was made by Taaroa. The latter supposed it to be a substance resembling fire. The people imagined that it sank every evening into the sea, and passed, during the night, by some submarine passage, from west to east, where it rose again from the sea in the morning. In some of the islands, the expression for the setting of the sun is, the falling of the sun into the sea. On one occasion, when some of the natives were asked whither the sun went, they said, Into the sea. On being asked, further, what prevented its extinction, they said they did not know. It was then inquired, "How do you know that it falls into the sea at all? Did you ever see it?" They said, No, but some people of Borabora, or Maupiti, the most western islands, had once heard the hissing occasioned by its plunging into the ocean.

One of the most singular of their traditions, respecting the sun, deserves attention, from the slight analogy it bears to a fact recorded in Jewish history. It is related that Maui, an ancient priest or chief, was building a marae, or temple, which it was necessary to finish before the close of the day; but, perceiving the sun was declining, and that it was likely to sink before the work was finished, he seized the sun by his rays, bound them with a cord to the marae, or an adjacent tree, and then prosecuted his work till the marae was completed, the sun remaining sta

tionary during the whole period. I refrain from all comment on this singular tradition, which was almost universally received in the islands.

Their ideas of the moon, which they called avae or marama, were as fabulous as those they entertained of the sun. Some supposed the moon was the wife of the sun; others, that it was a beautiful country in which the aoa grew. I am not aware that they rendered divine homage either to the sun or moon-theirs was a far less rational and innocent system than the worship of the host of heaven: they, however, supposed the moon to be subject to the influence of the spiritual beings with whom their mythology taught them to people the visible creation; and to the anger of those spirits, they were accustomed to attribute an eclipse. During an eclipse, the moon is said to be natua, bitten or pinched, as well as swallowed.

The stars, which they call fetia or fetu, were by some considered as the children of the sun and moon; by others, the progeny of a principal star. They are, however, generally supposed to be inhabited by spirits of the departed, or to be the spirits of human beings, several principal stars being designated by the names of distinguished men. The phenomenon called a shooting star, they supposed to be the flight of a spirit, and an omen of the birth of a great prince. Many of the constellations, and more of the single stars, have distinct names. Mars they call fetia ura, red star. morning star they call fetia ao, star of day; or horo poipoi, forerunner of morning, and the evening star Taurua o hiti ite a hiahi, twilight-rising Taurua. The Pleiades they call matarii, small eyes. The nebulæ near the southern pole, called the Magellanic clouds, are denominated mahu,

The

mist or vapour, and are distinguished by the terms upper and under, one being above, the other below. The bright line of light occasioned by innumerable numbers of remote stars, and called the via lactea, or milky-way, they denominated the long blue cloud-eating shark. But one of the most remarkable facts is, that the constellation which in Europe is called the Twins, is so named by them; only, instead of denominating the two stars Castor and Pollux, they call them Pipiri and Rehua or na ainanu, the two ainanus; and, to distinguish the one from the other, ainanu above, and ainanu below.

The following, which is the native legend of their origin, is amusing.-The father went by torch-light to fish for the marara or flying-fish, and, having succeeded, returned to his house. His two children, Pipiri and Rehua, were in their beds, but not asleep. The mother said, I will go and awake the children, (that they may partake.) -Let them not be awoke till morning, said the father; are children awakened at night? By and by they will be desiring their food, even now perhaps they know of it.-Cups were filled with salt-water for each of the children. When the fish was dressed, the parents sat down to eat, (not in the house, but in the open air, or under a distinct roof close by.)-The children, who overheard what was passing, thought, When they are satisfied, perhaps they will bring ours.— As their parents sat, the mother said, I will carry this, behold it is cooked. The father objected. The children broke through the back part of the house, and came and stood on a stone, (since called the stone whence the ainanu* fled.) The

* Ainanu signifies to desire or long for any particular kind of food.