308 FROM CALIFORNIA TO 



back to inquire with much kindness after Van- 

 couver, who, during his stay there, had found 

 Tamaahmaah at variance with Kahumanna, and 

 had reconciled them. She seemed much affected 

 at the news of his death. After we had left the 

 king's wives, we visited his son. Cook informed 

 me that this prince, as successor to the throne, had 

 already begun to exercise the rights of his father, 

 which consist in the fulfilling of the most import- 

 ant taboos.* Tamaahmaah has ordered this from 

 political motives, that no revolution may arise after 

 his death ; for as soon as the son fulfils the most im- 

 portant taboo, he is sacred, is associated with the 

 priests, and nobody dare dispute the throne with 

 him. The prince, as soon as he is admitted into the 

 rights of his father, receives the name of Lio-Lio, 

 that is, dog of all dogs ; and such we really found 

 him. We entered a neat and small house, in which 

 Lio-Lio, a tall, corpulent, and naked figure, was 

 stretched out on his stomach, and just indolently 

 raised his head to look at his guests ; near him sat se- 

 veral naked soldiers armed with muskets, who guard- 

 ed the monster ; a handsome young native, with a 

 tuft of red feathers, drove away the flies from him, 

 and from his interesting countenance and becoming 

 behaviour, I should rather have taken him for the 

 king's son. Tamaahmaah, who, by his wise govern- 



* The first taboo of the king's son consists in this, that no- 

 body is allowed to see him by day ; if any person is so unfor- 

 tunate, he must expiate his transgression by death. 



