198 VIOLATION OF THE TABU. 



cution of his design. Having previously ar 

 ranged his plans with some chiefs, the compa 

 nions of his excesses, he invited the principal 

 inhabitants of the islands to a sumptuous ban 

 quet. After the wine and rum had produced 

 their wonted effects, females were introduced, 

 and compelled to partake of the feast. These 

 poor creatures, having no suspicion of the 

 King s intentions, shrunk with terror from a 

 profanation punishable with death. But their 

 resistance was unavailing : they were not only 

 constrained to sit down to the repast in com 

 pany with the men, but even to eat pork ; and 

 thus, to the great astonishment of such guests 

 as were not in the secret, to violate, at the royal 

 command, a double Tabu. A murmur arose ; 

 but the greater part of the company were under 

 the influence of liquor, and the King now open 

 ly proclaimed his intentions. His auditors in 

 quired in alarm what crime the Gods had com 

 mitted, that they should be thus unceremonious 

 ly dismissed ; and besought him not to occasion 

 his own destruction and that of the country, 

 by provoking their indignation. The King 

 started from his seat, and exclaimed with vio- 



