The Mories, which we at first thought were burying places, are wholy built for Places of worship, and for the Performing of religious ceremonies in.* (* Cook did not apparently learn anything in this voyage of the human sacrifices offered in the Morais on many occasions, such as before war; at the coronation of the king; etc.
The Tahitians were, however, never guilty of cannibalism.) The Viands are laid upon altars erected 8, 12, or 12 Feet high, by stout Posts, and the Table of the Altar on which the Viands lay, is generally made of Palm leaves; they are not always in the Mories, but very often at some Distance from them.

Their Mories, as well as the Tombs of the Dead, they seem to hold sacred, and the women never enter the former, whatever they may do the latter.

The Viands laid near the Tombs of the Dead are, from what I can learn, not for the deceased, but as an Offering to the Eatua made upon that Occasion who, if not, would distroy the body and not except of the soul--for they believe of a future state of rewards and punishments; but what their Ideas are of it I know not.

We have seen in some few places small Houses set apart on purpose for the Oblations offer'd to the Eatua, which consists of small strips of Cloth, Viands, etc.

I am of Opinion they offer to the Eatua a Strip or small piece of every piece of Cloth they make before they use it themselves, and it is not unlikely but what they observe the same thing with respect to their Victuals, but as there are but few of these houses this cannot be a common Custom; it may only be observ'd by the Priests and such families as are more religious than others.
Now I have mentioned Priests, there are men that Exercise that function, of which Numbers Tupia is one.