As I had some reason to believe, that amongst their religious customs, human sacrifices were sometimes considered as necessary, I went one day to a _Marai_ in Matavai, in company with Captain Furneaux; having with us, as I had upon all other occasions, one of my men who spoke their language tolerably well, and several of the natives, one of whom appeared to be an intelligent sensible man. In the _Marai_ was a _Tupapow_, on which lay a corpse and some viands; so that every thing promised success to my enquiries. I began with asking questions relating to the several objects before me, if the plantains, &c. were for the _Eatua_? If they sacrificed to the _Eatua_, hogs, dogs, fowls, &c.? To all of which he answered in the affirmative. I then asked, If they sacrificed men to the _Eatua_? He answered _Taata eno_; that is, bad men they did, first _Tipperahy_, or beating them till they were dead. I then asked him, If good men were put to death in this manner? His answer was No, only _Taata eno_. I asked him if any _Earees_ were? He said, they had hogs to give to the _Eatua_, and again repeated _Taatu eno_. I next asked, If _Towtows_, that is, servants or slaves, who had no hogs, dogs, or fowls, but yet were good men, if they were sacrificed to the _Eatua_? His answer was No, only bad men. I asked him several more questions, and all his answers seemed to tend to this one point, that men for certain crimes were condemned to be sacrificed to the gods, provided they had not wherewithal to redeem themselves. This, I think, implies, that on some occasions, human sacrifices are considered as necessary, particularly when they take such men as have, by the laws of their country, forfeited their lives, and have nothing to redeem them; and such will generally be found among the lower class of people.