Their religious ceremonies are singular. In the commencement the priest walks round the altar and takes from it a mat devoted to the purpose, which is laid upon the ground. He then seats himself upon it, and begins to hoot, in the mean time throwing himself into a variety of attitudes, for the purpose of calling down the divinity into the altar. At intervals the congregation sing, but immediately stop when the priest breaks out in his devotions. By the side of the altar is always placed a large bowl, and six cocoa-nuts. After the incantation is gone through, and the divinity is supposed to be present, the bowl is turned up, and four of the nuts are broken and put in it, two being reserved for the exclusive use of a priest by them called also "_yarris_." As soon as the nuts are broken, one of the company begins to shout, and, rushing to the centre, seizes the bowl, and drinks of the milk of the nut, generally spilling a considerable part of it upon the ground. After this a few pieces are thrown to the images, and the remainder are eaten by the priests. This closes the ceremony; after which they indulge in any recreations that chance to please them best. While we were on the island several earthquakes happened, and some of them pretty severe. On those occasions the natives were much terrified; they would not let their children speak a word; and they said among themselves--_zahbee'too Yarris_, _To'bee yettah'men_, that is, Yarris (God) is coming and To'bee (the name of the island) will sink. They were also very much alarmed at thunder and lightning; and used to say at such times, _Yarris tee'tree_, God is talking. I do not know how they would be affected by an eclipse, as none happened, that I noticed, while we remained there. I will here mention some other things in respect to their customs and usages, as they now occur to me. Their implements of war are spears and clubs; they have no bows and arrows. Their spears are made of the wood of the cocoa-nut trees; the points of them are set with rows of sharks' teeth; and, being at the same time very heavy and from ten to twenty feet long, are formidable weapons. Their canoes are made of logs which drift to their island from other places, there being no trees on it large enough for that purpose; they are hollowed out with great labor, and are of very clumsy workmanship; to prevent their oversetting, they are fitted up with outriggers, like those of the Pelew islanders. A sketch of one is given in the accompanying engraving.