lay of costume, as the congregation strolled
homewards in groups, with the greatest self-complacency, through the
beautiful broad avenue, their psalm-books under their arms, was still
more strikingly ludicrous than in church. I had by this time, however,
lost all inclination to laugh.

I had assisted at a great religious assembly of the new, devoted, so
called Christian Tahaitians; and the comparison naturally arising in my
mind, between what I had seen and the descriptions of the early
travellers, had introduced reflections which became less and less
agreeable, in proportion as I acquired a greater insight into the recent
history of the island.

After many fruitless efforts, some English Missionaries succeeded at
length, in the year 1797, in introducing what they called Christianity
into Tahaiti, and even in gaining over to their doctrine the King Tajo,
who then governed the whole island in peace and tranquillity. This
conversion was a spark thrown into a powder magazine, and was followed
by a fearful explosion. The Marais were suddenly destroyed by order of
the King--every memorial of the former worship defaced--the new religion
forcibly established, and whoever would not adopt it, put to death. With
the zeal for making proselytes, the rage of tigers took possession of a
people once so gentle. Streams of blood flowed--whole races were
exterminated; many resolutely met the death they preferred to the
renunciation of their ancient faith. Some few escaped by flight to the
recesses of the lofty mountains, where they still live in seclusion,
faithful to the gods of their ancestors. Schiller's
exclamation--"_Furchtbar ist der Mensch in seinem wahn_,"[3] was
dreadfully confirmed.

Ambition associated itself, as usual, to fanaticism. King Tajo, not
content with seeing in the remains of his people none but professors of
the new faith, resolved on making conquests that he might force it on
the other Society Islands. He had already succeeded with most of them,
when a young warrior, Pomareh, King of the little island of Tabua, took
the field against him. What he wanted in numbers was supplied by his
unexampled valour, and his superiority in the art of war.

He subdued one island after another, and at last Tahaiti itself, and
having captured its King, offered the zealot murderer of his innocent
subjects as a sacrifice to their manes. In the end, he subjected to his
sceptre all the islands which had hitherto remained independen