94 POL YNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
imagined, an act of daring impiety. The king cut 
up the turtle, and began to eat it, inviting some 
that sat at meat with him to do the same; but 
no one could be induced to touch it, as they ex- 
pected every moment to see him either expire, or 
writhe in strong convulsions. The king endea- 
voured to convince his companions that their idea 
of the power of the gods was altogether imaginary, 
and that they had been the subjects of complete 
delusion; but the people could not believe him: 
and although the meal was finished without any 
evil result, they carried away the dishes with many 
expressions of astonishment, confidently expecting 
some judgment would overtake him before the 
morrow, for they could not believe that an act of 
sacrilege, such as he had been guilty of, could be 
committed with impunity. 
The conduct and conversation of Pomare in re- 
ference to the gods, on this and similar occasions, 
must necessarily have weakened the influence of 
idolatry on the minds of those by whom he was 
attended; and if it produced no immediate and 
salutary effect on them, it doubtless confirmed his 
own belief in the vanity of idols, and the folly of 
indulging either hope or fear respecting them. A 
number of the principal chiefs of the Leeward 
Islands, as well as the adherents to his cause, and 
the friends of his family in Tahiti, constantly re- 
sided with the king, after his expulsion from the 
island of his ancestors, and accompanied him on 
his return to resume his former government. He 
spared no efforts, favourably to impress them in 
regard to Christianity ; but to no purpose for a long 
time. When he offered himself for baptism, he 
stated that he had endeavoured to persuade Tama- 
toa, his father-in-law, and Tapoa, the king and 
