52 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
Otu then demanded him, but the chiefs still 
refused compliance. Pomare then recommended 
his son, the king, to allow the Atehuruan chiefs to 
retain the idol until a certain ceremony had been 
performed. This the king declined, and again 
insisted that Oro should be given up. This was 
still refused; and, having asked for some time 
without effect, he rose in anger, and ordered his 
party to withdraw. A number of his attendants 
rushed upon the canoes, others seized the god by 
force, tore him away from the people of Atehuru, 
and bore him towards the sea. This was not only 
the signal for war, but the commencement of hos¬ 
tilities. The Atehuruans fled to the valley, and 
the king and Pomare set sail with their fleet to 
the place of rendezvous; and, lest Oro should feel 
indignant at the treatment he had received, a 
human sacrifice was ordered ; but as they had 
no captives with them, one of Pomare’s own 
servants was murdered, and offered, as soon as 
the king reached the shore. The next morning, 
the fleet sailed with the idol for Tautira, and the 
Missionaries returned to their companions, with 
the tidings of the threatening events, of which 
they had been the melancholy spectators. When 
the fleet reached Papara, Pomare sent them word 
that it was probable the Atehuruans would attack 
them, and advised them to be upon their guard. 
Ten days after, they heard that the inhabitants of 
Atehuru had invaded the district of Faa, mur¬ 
dered those who had not escaped by flight, burnt 
the houses, and continued their murderous and 
desolating course into the district of Pare, which 
joins Matavai on the south. Here they drove out 
the inhabitants, burnt their habitations, and then 
returned to their own territory; not, however, 
