212 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
Patii tore off the sacred cloth in which they were enve¬ 
loped, to be safe from the gaze of vulgar eyes ; stripped 
them of their ornaments, which he cast into the fire; and 
then one by one threw the idols themselves into the crack¬ 
ling flames^—sometimes pronouncing the name and pedi¬ 
gree of the idol, and expressing his own regret at having 
worshipped it—at others, calling upon the spectators to 
behold their inability even to help themselves. Thus 
were the idols which Patii, who was a powerful priest in 
Eimeo, had worshipped, publicly destroyed. The flames 
became extinct, and the sun, which had never before shed 
his rays upon such a scene in those islands, cast his last 
beams, as he sunk behind the western wave, upon the 
expiring embers of that fire, which had already mingled 
with the earth upon which it had been kindled—the ashes 
of the once obeyed and dreaded idols of Eimeo. 
Patii on this occasion was not prompted by a spirit 
of daring bravado, but by the conviction of truth, 
deeply impressed upon his heart, and a desire to 
undeceive his deluded countrymen; probably consi¬ 
dering, that as his conduct and instruction had hereto¬ 
fore done much to extend and propagate the influence 
of idolatry, so his thus publicly abandoning it, and 
exposing himself to all the consequences of their dreaded 
ire, would most effectually weaken their confidence in the 
gods, and lead them to desire instruction concerning 
that Being, who, he was convinced, was the only living 
and true God,—who was a spirit, and was to be wor¬ 
shipped, not with human or other sacrifices, save those 
of a broken heart and a contrite spirit, or the sacri¬ 
fices of thanksgiving and of praise. 
Although many of the spectators undoubtedly 
viewed Patii with feelings analogous to those with which 
