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up earnestly； now to the right； now to the left； and now again
at the club； afterwards he looks up again and about him in like
manner； and then again fixes his eyes on the club； and so on for
several times。 At length he suddenly raises the club； and； after
a moment's pause； strikes the ground or the adjacent part of the
house with considerable force； immediately the god leaves him；
and he rises up and retires to the back of the ring among the
people （vol。 i。 pp。 100； 101）。
The phenomena thus described； in language which； to any one who
is familiar with the manifestations of abnormal mental states
among ourselves； bears the stamp of fidelity； furnish a most
instructive commentary upon the story of the wise woman of
Endor。 As in the latter； we have the possession by the spirit or
soul （Atua； Elohim）； the strange voice； the speaking in the
first person。 Unfortunately nothing （beyond the loud cry） is
mentioned as to the state of the wise woman of Endor。 But what
we learn from other sources （e。g。 1 Sam。 x。 20…24）
respecting the physical concomitants of inspiration among the
old Israelites has its exact equivalent in this and other
accounts of Polynesian prophetism。 An excellent authority；
Moerenhout； who lived among the people of the Society Islands
many years and knew them well； says that； in Tahiti； the
role of the prophet had very generally passed out of the
hands of the priests into that of private persons who professed
to represent the god； often assumed his name； and in this
capacity prophesied。 I will not run the risk of weakening the
force of Moerenhout's description of the prophetic state by
translating it：
Un individu； dans cet etat； avait le bras gauche enveloppe d'un
morceau d'etoffe； signe de la presence de la Divinite。 Il ne
parlait que d'un ton imperieux et vehement。 Ses attaques； quand
il allait prophetiser； etaient aussi effroyables qu'imposantes。
Il tremblait d'abord de tous ses membres； la figure enflee； les
yeux hagards； rouges et etincelants d'une expression sauvage。
Il gesticulait； articulait des mots vides de sens； poussait des
cris horribles qui faisaient tressaillir tous les assistants； et
s'exaltait parfois au point qu'on n'osait par l'approcher。
Autour de lui； le silence de la terreur et du respect。 。。。
C'est alors qu'il repondait aux questions； annoncait l'avenir；
le destin des batailles； la volonte des dieux； et； chose
etonnante！ au sein de ce delire； de cet enthousiasme religieux；
son langage etait grave； imposant； son eloquence noble et
persuasive。
Just so Saul strips off his clothes； 〃prophesies〃 before Samuel；
and lies down 〃naked all that day and night。〃
Both Mariner and Moerenhout refuse to have recourse to the
hypothesis of imposture in order to account for the inspired
state of the Polynesian prophets。 On the contrary； they fully
believe in their sincerity。 Mariner tells the story of a young
chief； an acquaintance of his； who thought himself possessed by
the Atua of a dead woman who had fallen in love with him； and
who wished him to die that he might be near her in Bolotoo。
And he died accordingly。 But the most valuable evidence on this
head is contained in what the same authority says about King
Finow's son。 The previous king； Toogoo Ahoo； had been
assassinated by Finow； and his soul； become an Atua of divine
rank in Bolotoo； had been pleased to visit and inspire Finow's
sonwith what particular object does not appear。
When this young chief returned to Hapai； Mr。 Mariner； who was
upon a footing of great friendship with him； one day asked him
how he felt himself when the spirit of Toogoo Ahoo visited him；
he replied that he could not well describe his feelings； but the
best he could say of it was； that he felt himself all over in a
glow of heat and quite restless and uncomfortable； and did not
feel his own personal identity； as it were； but seemed to have a
mind different from his own natural mind； his thoughts wandering
upon strange and unusual subjects； though perfectly sensible of
surrounding objects。 He next asked him how he knew it was the
spirit of Toogoo Ahoo？ His answer was； 'There's a fool！ How can
I tell you how I knew it！ I felt and knew it was so by a
kind of consciousness； my mind told me that it was Toogoo
Ahoo （vol。 i。 pp。 104； 105）。
Finow's son was evidently made for a theological disputant； and
fell back at once on the inexpugnable stronghold of faith when
other evidence was lacking。 〃There's a fool！ I know it is true；
because I know it；〃 is the exemplar and epitome of the sceptic…
crushing process in other places than the Tonga Islands。
The island of Bolotoo； to which all the souls （of the upper
classes at any rate） repair after the death of the body； and
from which they return at will to interfere； for good or evil；
with the lives of those whom they have left behind； obviously
answers to Sheol。 In Tongan tradition； this place of souls is a
sort of elysium above ground and pleasant enough to live in。
But； in other parts of Polynesia； the corresponding locality；
which is called Po； has to be reached by descending into the
earth； and is represented dark and gloomy like Sheol。 But it was
not looked upon as a place of rewards and punishments in any
sense。 Whether in Bolotoo or in Po； the soul took the rank it
had in the flesh； and； a shadow； lived among the shadows of the
friends and houses and food of its previous life。
The Tongan theologians recognised several hundred gods；
but there was one； already mentioned as their national god； whom
they regarded as far greater than any of the others； 〃as a great
chief from the top of the sky down to the bottom of the earth〃
（Mariner； vol。 ii。 p。 106）。 He was also god of war； and the
tutelar deity of the royal family； whoever happened to be the
incumbent of the royal office for the time being。 He had no
priest except the king himself； and his visits； even to royalty；
were few and far between。 The name of this supreme deity was
Ta…li…y…Tooboo； the literal meaning of which is said to be 〃Wait
there； Tooboo；〃 from which it would appear that the peculiar
characteristic of Ta…li…y…Tooboo； in the eyes of his
worshippers； was persistence of duration。 And it is curious to
notice； in relation to this circumstance； that many Hebrew
philologers have thought the meaning of Jahveh to be best
expressed by the word 〃Eternal。〃 It would probably be difficult
to express the notion of an eternal being； in a dialect so
little fitted to convey abstract conceptions as Tongan； better
than by that of one who always 〃waits there。〃
The characteristics of the gods in Tongan theology are exactly
those of men whose shape they are supposed to possess； only they
have more intelligence and greater power。 The Tongan belief
that； after death； the human Atua more readily distinguishes
good from evil； runs parallel with the old Israelitic conception
of Elohim expressed in Genesis； 〃Ye shall be as Elohim； knowing
good from evil。〃 They further agreed with the old Israelites；
that 〃all rewards for virtue and punishments for vice happen to
men in this world only； and come immediately from the gods〃
（vol。 ii。 p。 100）。 Moreover； they were of opinion that though
the gods approve of some kinds of virtue； are displeased with
some kinds of vice； and； to a certain extent； protect or forsake
their worshippers according to their moral conduct； yet neglect
to pay due respect to the deities； and forgetfulness to keep
them in good humour； might be visited with even worse
consequences than moral delinquency。 And those who will
carefully study the so…called 〃Mosaic code〃 contained in the
books of Exodus； Leviticus； and Numbers； will see that； though
Jahveh's prohibitions of certain forms of immorality are strict
and sweeping； his wrath is quite as strongly kindled against
infractions of ritual ordinances。 Accidental homicide may go
unpunished； and reparation may be made for wilful theft。 On the
other hand； Nadab and Abihu； who 〃offered strange fire before
Jahveh； which he had not commanded them；〃 were swiftly devoured
by Jahveh's fire； he who sacrificed anywhere except at the
allotted place was to be 〃cut off from his people〃； so was he
who ate blood； and the details of the upholstery of the
Tabernacle； of the millinery of the priests' vestments； and of
the cabinet work of the ark； can plead direct authority from
Jahveh； no less than moral commands。
Amongst the Tongans； the sacrifices were regarded as gifts of
food and drink offered to the divine Atuas； just as the articles
deposited by the graves of the recently dead were meant as food
for Atuas of lower rank。 A kava root was a constant form of
offering all over Polynesia。 In the excellent work of the Rev。
George Turner； entitled Nineteen Years in Polynesia
（p。 241）； I find it said of