DESTRUCTION OF THE MARAIS. 199 



lent gestures, " You see we have already vio- 

 lated the strongest Tabus, and yet the Gods 

 inflict no punishment, because they have no 

 power ; neither have they pov/er to do us good. 

 Our faith was erroneous and worthless. Come, 

 let us destroy the iSIarais, and from henceforth 

 acknowledge no religion !'' The immediate de- 

 pendents of the King rose to second him : the 

 inhabitants of Hanaruro had been depraved by 

 their intercourse with foreign sailors, and a 

 tumultuous crowd, who held nothing sacred, 

 soon followed the revellers. Arrived at the 

 royal Marai, some of them, terrified by the 

 aspect of their idols, would have receded ; but 

 when the King himself, and his friends and fol- 

 lowers, began to maltreat them, and no divine 

 vengeance followed, the courage of the multi- 

 tude revived, and the Marais were soon utterly 

 destroyed. This outrage to what the people 

 at large most venerated, introduced a scene of 

 confusion and violence, and would indeed have . 

 entailed destruction both on the King and the 

 country, had not Karemaku again stood for- 

 ward in their defence. Several Yeris who, dis- 

 approving the sentiments of the King, had re- 



