THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. 247 



none. The woman does not share the rank of the 

 husband. The rank of the children is determined 

 by very fixed and certain laws, chiefly after that 

 of the mother, but also after that of the father. 

 A noblewoman who marries a man of the lower 

 class loses her rank as soon as she has children, in 

 which case she and her children descend to the 

 cast of the husband. Primogeniture does not de- 

 termine hereditary right, but in the plurality of 

 wives the more noble birth by the mother's side. 

 The inequality of the nobility, and the different de- 

 grees of the taboo or sanctity which is due to every 

 distinguished chief after his birth, without respect 

 to his power, were not sufficiently explained to us. 

 The predecessor of Tamaahmaah, in Owhyee, was 

 taboo to such a degree that he was not allowed 

 to be seen by day. He only showed himself in the 

 night : if any person had but accidentally seen 

 him by daylight lie was immediately put to death ; 

 a sacred law, the fulfihnent of which nothing could 

 prevent. The human victims, who are here killed 

 at the death of the king, princes, and distinguished 

 chiefs, and buried with their remains, are of the 

 lowest class. In certain families of this cast the 

 fate of dying with the different members of such 

 or such a noble family is hereditary, so that it is 

 knov/n at the birth of a child, at whose death he 

 is to be sacrificed. The victims know their des- 

 tination, and their lot does not seem to have any 

 terror for them. The progressive spirit of the times 



R 4 



