ies to demolition, contentedly submit to the total deprivation
of all external signs of religion. Karemaku had judgment enough to
perceive that this state of things would not endure, and that a religion
of some kind was indispensable to the people; he therefore resolved to
set his countrymen a good example, and yielding to an inclination he had
long entertained, to declare himself publicly a convert to Christianity.
In the same year, 1819, Captain Freycinet, on his voyage round the
world, landed at Hanaruro, and a clergyman accompanying him, Karemaku
and his brother Boki received the sacrament of baptism according to the
forms of the Catholic Church.

At this time, a society of missionaries was formed in the United States
of America, for the purpose of introducing Christianity into the
Sandwich Islands. Of the extinction of the ancient faith, which must of
course facilitate their undertaking, they had as yet received no
information. Six families of these missionaries arrived at Wahu in
1820, bringing with them two young Sandwich Islanders, who had been
previously prepared in their schools. The King, hearing of their
intention, would not allow them to land, but commanded them immediately
to depart from his shores. Here, again, Karemaku interposed, and
endeavoured to convince the King that the Christian religion would be
one of the greatest benefits he could confer on his subjects. The King
then assembled the most distinguished Yeris, and after fourteen days'
deliberation, decreed that a piece of land should be granted to the
missionaries, with permission to build a church, and to preach their
doctrines, under the condition that they should immediately leave the
island if the experiment should be found to have a prejudicial influence
on the people. The missionaries agreed to the terms, took up their
residence on Wahu, and from thence extended settlements over the other
islands. Their first efforts were successfully directed to the
conversion of the King, his family, and the most distinguished Yeris.
When these personages had openly professed the new faith, the
Missionaries considered themselves firmly established, and proceeded
with more confidence to the full execution of their plan. They quickly
acquired the language of the islands, which from the largest of them
they called the O Wahi language, printed the first book in it, (a
collection of Hymns,) in the year 1822, and instructed the natives, who
proved apt scholars,