78 Poniandcr Collection of Hawaiian I'olk-lorc. 



But if the front of the house is facino- towards the knoll or hill with the entrance turned 

 towards the bluffs, the diviner ])riest will say; "The house is perfect," the reason for its 

 perfection being on account of its front turning- towards the hill or knoll. 



(;. DIVINATION ON THE HOUSE TIMBER. 



Supposing that the appearance of the house is perfect and the location also per- 

 fect, defects ma}' be found in the main posts, or in the end ]50sts. If faultless in all 

 these, the imperfections may be found in the plate piece or ]ierha]is in the timbers. 



lO. DIVINATION ON THE ERECTION OF A HOUSE. 



Assuming that the posts are placed in position, the ])late pieces laid on and tied 

 fast, when it is found that the position of one of the posts is faulty and the post is drawn 

 out, then the ])riest will say: "The house is defective; the owner will not remain long 

 therein before he goes away." 



Of re-thatching a house. Supposing that a house has been thatched and the 

 owner finds that the thatching is defective and removes it, when the diviner priest 

 sees it done thus, he will say: "The owner of the house will not remain long therein be- 

 fore he goes away, some one else becoming the occujjant thereof." But if a king be the 

 owner of the disparted house the prediction will have no bearing;'' it only aft'ects the 

 house of a commoner. 



II. DEFECTIVE HOUSE FRAMING IN THE OPINION OF THE DIVINICR. 



Supposing that the side posts of a house are standing in this wise (Figure 2 A), 

 and that the diviner priest comes and finds the walls of the house built in that way. If 

 they are posts for the front, then the priest will say: "There are two defects to the house 

 in the position of the row of posts ; one fault is in the leaning post at the end, and marked 

 (d), and the other defect is in the plate-beam, because the door-])late is not cut." 



Of the leaning ])ost. The leaning post position is faulty on account of the crooked 

 bulge being toward the next ]X)st. If the bulging is on the outsid? near the temporary 

 battens that would be a little better; but the best way, in the o])inion of the diviner, is 

 to draw out the i^ost altogether and replace it by another ])ost similar to the rest of the 

 posts which were put up, then it will be well. Such i)osts, however, shall not be drawn out 

 at random without referring it to the gods of the ])riesthood, that the error of such acts 

 may be pardoned. But if all the posts of said house are similar to the leaning post then 

 it is well. A house that is continued in building as above described, the owners thereof 

 will die. 



Of the i)late-beam. If the plate beam of a doorway is not cut, then the ]iriest will 

 say: "The house is not good on account of the plate for the doorway not being cut." 

 The name of a house made that way is called a "nianclc" (bier). But if the plate-beam 

 for a doorway be cut in the front (as in Figure 2 B ), then it is well. 



"This is on the ancient idea tliat "the king can do no wrong;" a clear recognition of one law for ruler and 

 another for his subjects. 



