220 
rOLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
The idols of the heathen are in general appropriate 
emblems of the beings they worship and fear ; and if we 
contemplate those of the South Sea Islanders, they pre¬ 
sent to our notice all that is adapted to awaken our pity. 
The idols of Tahiti were generally shapeless pieces of 
wood, from one to four feet long, covered with finely 
braided cinet of cocoa-nut fibres, ornamented with scar¬ 
let feathers. Oro was a straight log of hard casuarina 
wood, six feet in length, uncarved, but decorated with 
feathers. The gods of some of the adjacent islands 
exhibit a greater variety of form and structure. The 
accompanying plate contains several of these. 
The two figures in the centre. No. 1. exhibit a front 
and profile view of Taaroa, the supreme deity of Polyne¬ 
sia; who is generally ragarded as the creator of the 
world, and the parent of gods and men. The image from 
which these views were taken, is nearly four feet high, 
and twelve or fifteen inches broad, carved out of a solid 
piece of close, white, durable wood. In addition to the 
number of images or demigods forming the features of 
his face, and studding the outside of his body, and which 
were designed to shew the multitudes of gods that had 
proceeded from him ; his body is hollow, and when 
taken from the temple, in which for many generations 
he had been worshipped, a number of small idols were 
found in the cavity. They had perhaps been deposited 
there, to imbibe his supernatural powers, prior to their 
being removed to a distance, to receive, as his representa¬ 
tives, divine honours. The opening to the cavity was at 
the back; the whole of which, as shewn in the profile 
view, might be removed. The image to the right. No. 3. 
is another representation of Taaroa. No. 5. is Terongo, 
one of the principal gods, and his three sons. No. 2, is 
