42 HAWAIIANGROUP. 



If a man has four children, he is then freed from labour-taxes both 

 to the king and his landlord. 



If he has five, he is freed from the poll-tax. 



If six, he is freed from all taxation whatever. 



All old persons, and all who are sickly and feeble, all teachers of 

 schools and pupils in schools where the higher branches are taught, 

 are exempt from taxation, unless the pupils are landholders, when 

 they pay the land-tax. 



The statistics of crime which they have are of no value, for they 

 have kept no regular record. I understood that some of the chiefs 

 had kept records of the sentences that had been passed ; but they 

 were so vague, so isolated, and so defective, as to be unworthy of 

 confidence. 



All high crimes have usually been punished with death. This 

 was, however, previous to 1824. The executions were more like 

 assassinations than judicial punishments. Formerly among a chief's 

 retinue were executioners, called ili-muku, to whom the business of 

 punishing capitally was committed. These persons became well 

 known to the people, and as no trials or any sentences were pro- 

 mulgated, even to see these men abroad created general consterna- 

 tion, as the people knew not where the blow was to fall, and all those 

 who were conscious of having committed any offence against the king 

 considered themselves in great peril. The victims were usually 

 attacked in the night, without giving them any warning, with clubs 

 and stones. Such was the fear entertained of the king's authority, 

 that even if the executioners were discovered, the nearest friends did 

 not dare to give warning, or assist in resisting them. 



Those who had violated the religious taboos were seized, either 

 secretly or openly, by the officers of the priests, and carried to the 

 temple, where they were stoned, strangled, or beaten to death with 

 clubs, and then laid on the altar to putrefy. These constituted the 

 great majority of executions in former times ; some, indeed, were by 

 order of the chiefs, and in conformity to their rules of avenging pri- 

 vate wrongs. 



A high chief, Kanihouni, was sentenced by Kamehameha to be put 

 to death. As he was possessed of great power and influence, many 

 precautions were taken to quell any rebellion that might arise from 

 the attempt. He was executed in the following manner. The king 

 caused a number of soldiers to be armed, who were concealed in a 



