THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 153 



CHAP. VIII. 



General Account of the Sandwich Iflands continued.—" 

 Government. — People divided into three Clajfes. — Power 

 of Eree-taboo. — Genealogy of the Kings of Qwhyhee and 

 Mowee. — Power of the Chiefs. — State of the inferior 

 Clafs. — Punipment of Crimes, — Religion. — Society of 

 Priefls. — The Orono. — Their Idols. — Songs chanted by 

 the Chiefs , before they drink Ava. — Human Sacrifices. 

 — Cuftom of knocking out the Fore-teeth. — Notions with 

 regard to a future State. — Marriages. — Remarkable 

 Injlance of 'Jealoufy. — Funeral Rites. 



THE people of thefe iflands are manifeftly divided J77j* 

 into three clafTes. The firft are the Erees, or Chiefs, of 

 each diftricl ; one of whom is fuperior to the reft, and is 

 called at Owhyhee Eree-taboo, and Eree Moee. By the firft of 

 thefe words they exprefs his abfolute authority ; and by 

 the latter, that all are obliged to proftrate themfelves (or put 

 themfelves to fleep, as the word fignifies) in his prefence. 

 The fecond clafs are thofe who appear to enjoy a right of 

 property, without authority. The third are the towtows, or 

 fervants, who have neither rank nor property. 



It is not poffible to give any thing like a fyftematical ac- 

 count of the fubordination of thefe clanes to each other, 

 without departing from that Uriel: veracity, which, in works 

 of this nature, is more fatisfa&ory than conjectures, how- 

 ever ingenious. 1 will, therefore, content myfelf with re- 

 lating fuch facts, as we were witnefles to ourfelves, and fuch 



Vol. III. X accounts 



