THE FISHERIES AND FISHING LAWS OF HAWATI. d61 
to relate, the priests themselves, followed his example, and in a few 
weeks the country was without any religion at all. 
In the fisheries the king usually had certain fishes tabued, while 
the chiefs or landlords (called ** konohikis”) had the same privilege with 
one species in the sea fisheries belonging to their respective estates. 
This tabu did not prevent the fishermen from catching the species so 
set apart, but they were compelled to hand over to the king or chiefs 
all or a portion of the catch of these species. 
The advent of the American missionaries in 1820, coming as it did 
immediately after the destruction of the native religion by Liholiho, 
was most fortunate, the people being ripe for a change, and they 
gladly embraced the Christian religion after a short period of hesita- 
tion. The missionaries reduced the native language, which had been 
oral previously, to writing, and under their direction the people 
made probably the most remarkable advances in civilization and edu- 
cation ever witnessed among a heathen race. Stimulated by this 
great advance in intelligence and learning, the king, Kamehameha 
IL, in conjunction with the chiefs and nobles, in 1839, gave the people 
a written constitution and code of laws. The following are the pro- 
Visions in this document which relate to the fisheries: 
Cuapter III.—8. Of free and prohibited fishing grounds. 
1. Of free fishing grounds.—His Majesty the King hereby takes the fishing grounds 
from those who now possess them from Hawaii to Kauai, and gives one portion of 
them to the common people, another portion to the landlords, and a portion he 
reserves to himself. 
These are the fishing grounds which His Majesty the King takes and gives to the 
people: The fishing grounds without the coral reef, viz, the Kilohee grounds, the 
Luhee ground, the Malolo ground, together with the ocean beyond. 
But the fishing grounds from the coral reef to the sea beach are for the landlords 
and for the tenants of their several lands, but not for others. But if that species of 
fish which the landlord selects as his own personal portion should go on to the 
grounds which are given to the common people, then that species of fish, and that 
only, is tabooed; if the squid, then the squid only; or if some other species of fish, 
that only and not the squid. And thus it shall be in all places all over the islands; 
if the squid, that only; and if in some other place it be another fish, then that only 
and not the squid. 
If any of the people take the fish which the landlord taboos for himself, this is the 
penalty: Fortwo years he shall not fish at allon any fishing ground. And the several 
landlords shall give immediate notice respecting said fisherman that the landlords 
may protect their fishing grounds, lest he go and take fish on other grounds. 
If there be a variety of fish on the ground where the landlord taboos his particuiar 
fish, then the tenants of his own land may take them, but not the tenants of other 
lands, lest they take also the fish tabooed by the landlord. The people shall give 
to the landlord one-third of the fish thus taken. Furthermore, there shall no duty 
whatever be laid on the fish taken by the people on grounds given to them, nor shall 
any canoe be taxed or tabooed. 
If a landlord haying fishing grounds lay any duty on the fish taken by the people 
on their own fishing grounds, the penalty shall be as follows: For one full year his 
own fish shall be tabooed for the tenants of his own particular land, and notice shall 
be given of the same, so that the landlord who lays a duty on the fish of the people 
may be known. 
