HAWAIIAN GROUP. 



33 



another wife of more elevated birth. Even if a sovereign had sons 

 by females of low origin, a daughter might succeed, if her mother 

 were of very elevated rank. 



A case of this sort had occurred two generations prior to the disco- 

 very of the island, when the throne was held by Queen Keokeolaui, 

 who had several half-brothers, but they were of lower rank on the 

 mother's side. There have been only two instances of the accession 

 of females to the supreme power, Keokeolaui, and Laca, of still greater 

 antiquity. 



Exceptions sometimes were made to the regular descent, by the 

 conceded right of the sovereign to name his successor ; and, in conse- 

 quence, it has sometimes been willed to a younger instead of the elder 

 son, of the same mother, and sometimes to a member of another family. 

 Where special reasons existed for such a course, it was generally con- 

 curred in by the chiefs. But these rules were often set aside, and 

 personal valour decided the point. Kamehameha I. was an instance 

 of this kind. 



A chief of inferior rank stood little chance of attaining the royal 

 dignity, however highly he might be endowed ; but even the lawful 

 heir, if a weak and pusillanimous man, was sure to be supplanted by 

 a chief better qualified. Thus, in consequence of their being many 

 different aspirants for the high office, the death of a king was always 

 the signal for a civil war. 



During the life of a king he generally signified his wish in relation 

 to the descent of the crown, and often a council of chiefs was called 

 upon the subject. If they all concurred, it put a stop to any diffi- 

 culties, and the party nominated succeeded to the kingdom without 

 disturbance. 



If the king married a low woman, the right of her children to the 

 crown was always disputed. Hence it was considered of great im- 

 portance that the wife of the king should be of as high blood, if not 

 higher, than any other female in the nation. For this reason, if there 

 were several women of the same rank, the king felt it important to 

 secure them all as his wives, in order that there might be no com- 

 petition, on the ground of rank, for the kingdom after his death. On 

 this account Kamehameha had five wives at the same time. In 

 order to prevent the existence of competitors, it was often thought 

 expedient for the kings to marry their own sisters, although this 

 incestuous intercourse is, in other cases, contrary to the customs, 



VOL. IV. 9 



