THE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE. 43 



and affluence than otherwise. The poor and dependent condition of the mass 

 of the common people, if there had been no other reasons, prevented the practice 

 from becoming widespread among them. It is a curious and interesting fact 

 in this connection to note that the Hawaiian called all of his relatives of the 

 same generation as himself "brothers" and "sisters," and those of the next 

 older — "fathers" and "mothers"; those of a younger generation "sons" and 

 "daughters," and so on. This tendency is taken by some as indicative of the 

 uncertain relations that existed among them, since brothers, to a certain extent, 

 shared their wives in common, and sisters their husbands. But the marital form, 

 where one man and one woman habitually cohabit, while yet indulging in other 

 attachments, was the rule among them at all times and in all classes as is clearly 

 shown by the earliest recorded facts on the subject. 



It is known that in certain instances betrothals were arranged by parents 

 and friends while the children who were the principals in the arrangement were 

 still quite young. Among the common people, as distinguished from the chiefs, 

 marriage was largely a matter of caprice, but among the chiefs it was a subject 

 of serious concern, involving matters of state, public policy, position and power. 

 Hspeeially was this true at the mating of women of rank, since rank, position 

 and inheritance descended chiefly, though not wholly, through the mother. For 

 example, the offspring of a woman of noble birth would inherit her rank despite 

 the rank of the father. But the children of a father of high rank would fail 

 to retain their position if born to a woman of inferior position. 



iLvRRiAGE Among Persons of Rank. 



For this reason reigning families Avere careful to examine into the genealogy 

 of those who were liable to join themselves with members of the more exclusive 

 families. For reasons of policy brothers were forced on rare occasions to marry 

 sisters, that there might be no question as to the rank of their children. 



While there was no set wedding ceremony the event was often made an 

 excxise for a feast ; and frequently, particularly among the common people, the 

 bridegroom declared his choice by throwing a piece of tapa cloth over the bride 

 in the presence of her relatives, or less frequently by their friends throwing; 

 a piece of tapa over both bride and groom. It is an astonishing fact, that with 

 the exception of marriage, almost every act in the life of the people was cele- 

 brated with prayers, sacrifices and religious ceremonies. It cannot be doubted, 

 therefore, that the marriage tie was a loose one. lightly assumed and lightly 

 put off, and depended largely for its duration on the will of the husband. 

 As might be expected, separation was of f reqiient occurrence among them ; and 

 while fond of their children, after time had given opportunity for an attach- 

 ment to develop between parent and child, it was never-the-less a widespread prac- 

 tice among them, for mothers to part with their babies at birth, giving them freely 

 and without reserve to relatives or friends who miuht express a wish for the child. 



Infanticide. 



There can be no doubt but that infanticide was prevalent among them and 



