DESTRUCTION OF THE MARAIS. 199 



lent gestures, &quot; 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 power to do us good. 

 Our faith was erroneous and worthless. Come, 

 let us destroy the Marais, and from henceforth 

 acknowledge no religion !&quot; 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- 



