SANDWICH ISLANDS. 
45 
homage, made him his friend, and returned instantly to his 
home. 
The second transaction of very great importance in 
which he engaged, was no less than the extirpation of 
idolatry from his dominions. During the six months im¬ 
mediately succeeding the death of his father, the young 
king had held frequent conferences with the different chiefs 
on the subject of the insufficiency of their religion, of the 
impotence of their gods, and the oppressive nature of the 
tabu; and finding that they generally agreed in the ex¬ 
pediency of a change of system, it was determined to de¬ 
secrate the morais and destroy the idols. It was, however, 
necessary to obtain the sanction of Keopuolani the king’s 
mother, who by birth enjoyed a higher rank among the 
chiefs than even her son. She asked what harm the gods 
had done, that the chiefs should wish to destroy them. 
Nay, said her friends, what good have they done that we 
should keep them ? is not their worship burdensome; did 
they not require human sacrifice ; and have we not learned 
from other nations that gods of wood are not able to pro¬ 
tect us, and that the sacrifices are cruel and useless ? It 
is good, said the queen, do as you will; and on that same 
for the king’s presence, nay, even the precincts of his house, and of the houses 
of his ambassadors, to be considered as a sanctuary. 
