The night preceding the day of ai-lolo was devoted to special services of dance and song. Some time after midnight the whole company went forth to plunge into the ocean, thus to purge themselves of any lurking ceremonial impurity. The progress to the ocean and the return they made in complete nudity. “Nakedness is the garb of the gods.” On their way to and from the bath they must not look back, they must not turn to the right hand or to the left. The kumu, as the priest, remained at the halau, and as the procession returned from the ocean he met it at the door and sprinkled each one (_pikai_) with holy water. Then came another period of dance and song; and then, having cantillated a _pule hoonoa_, to lift the tabu, the kumu went forth to his own ceremonial cleansing bath in the sea. During his absence his deputy, the _kokua kumu_, took charge of the halau. When the kumu reached the door on his return, he made himself known by reciting a _mele wehe puka_, the conventional password. Still another exercise of song and dance, and the wearied pupils are glad to seek repose. Some will not even remove the short dancing skirts that are girded about them, so eager are they to snatch an hour of rest; and some lie down with bracelets and anklets yet unclasped. At daybreak the kumu rouses the company with the tap of the drum. After ablutions, before partaking of their simple breakfast, the company stand before the altar and recite a tabu-removing prayer, accompanying the cantillation with a rhythmic tapping of feet and clapping of hands: _Pule Hoonoa_ Pupu we’uwe’u e, Laka e! O kona we’uwe’u ke ku nei. [Page 32] Kaumaha a’e la ia Laka. O Laka ke akua pule ikaika. 5 Ua ku ka maile a Laka a imua; Ua lu ka hua[32] o ka maile. Noa, noa ia’u, ia Kahaula— Papalua noa. Noa, a ua noa. 10 Eli-eli kapu! eli-eli noa! Kapu oukou, ke akua! Noa makou, ke kanaka´. [Translation.] _Tabu-lifting Prayer_