132 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
over the invisible world. Human sacrifices were 
offered at his inauguration ; and whenever any one, 
under the influence of the loss he had sustained by 
plunder, or other injury, spoke disrespectfully of 
his person and administration, not only was hisTife 
in danger, but human victims must be offered, to 
cleanse the land from the pollution it was supposed 
to have contracted. 
The intimate connexion between the government 
and their idolatry, occasioned the dissolution of 
the one, with the abolition of the other; and when 
the system of pagan worship was subverted, many 
of their ancient usages perished in its ruins. They 
remained for some years without any system or 
form of government, excepting the will of the king, 
to whom the inhabitants usually furnished liberal 
supplies of all that was necessary for the mainte¬ 
nance of his household, and the accomplishment of 
his designs. 
The raatiras exercised the supreme authority in 
the divisions over which the king had placed them. 
But when circumstances occurred, in which, under 
idolatry, they would have acted according to their 
ancient custom, they felt embarrassed. Many of 
the people, free in a great degree from exposure to 
seizure, and the more dreadful apprehension of 
being offered to the gods, evinced a disinclination 
to render the king the supplies and support he 
needed. 
The sacrificing of human victims to the idols had 
been one of the most powerful engines in the hands 
of the government, the requisition for them being 
always made by the ruler, to whom the priests 
applied when it was pretended the gods required 
them : the king, therefore, sent his herald to the 
petty chieftain, who selected the victims. An in- 
