32 H A W A I I A N G R O U P. 



persons, from all parts of the island, were present. I was in hopes 

 that the law would have been put into execution within the fort, and 

 not on the walls, thus making it a private instead of a public execu- 

 tion. I had much conversation relative to this subject with the 

 authorities, but I thought the disposition was to make it a matter 

 of parade rather than otherwise. The criminals showed no manner 

 of contrition for their foul crimes, but evinced a hardihood in unison 

 with the deed for which the}^ suffered the penalty of the law. 



There are no persons to whom the old adage of " murder will out" 

 will more justly apply, than to these natives; they cannot keep a 

 secret, and when once a crime is perpetrated, it is not long before it 

 becomes known to the public ; they will even tell against themselves, 

 however certain the punishment may be. In this respect, nearly all 

 the Polynesian Ucitions are alike. It was perhaps not to be expected 

 that much feeling should be shown on an occasion of the kind among 

 a half-civilized nation, who had formerly been in the habit of seeing 

 death frequently administered by the hands of the assassin, acting by 

 the order of the chiefs; yet I was not prepared to see so quiet and 

 indifferent a demeanour. The son of Kamanawa, who is an extremely 

 fat youth, and one of the best swimmers and divers in the port, spoke 

 of the execution of his father witliout any apparent feeling. 



The immense advance which has been made by the Hawaiians in 

 civilization, will be best appreciated by the contrast which the fore- 

 going constitution exhibits to the ancient usages and mode of govern- 

 ment of this group. As, however, many points in the early history 

 of these islands have been fully illustrated by other writers, I shall 

 content myself with a general view of such facts as may serve for the 

 basis of a comparison between the past and present condition of the 

 Hawaiians, and between their usages and customs and those of the 

 other groups of Polynesia. On these points I have endeavoured to 

 obtain the most correct information, and have been fortunate in re- 

 ceivinof it from the highest and most authentic sources. 



In former times there were no fixed laws of succession to the throne, 

 and the practice in relation to it varied. It was, however, the general 

 usage that the crown should descend, on the death of a sovereign, to 

 one of his children, sons being preferred to daughters, and the rank 

 of the mother being talien into consideration, as well as priority of 

 birth. Thus Kamehameha I. had children by several wives, but his 

 eldest son, as well as a daughter, were superseded by the children of 



