K A U A I A N D O A H U. 59 



associations. The consequence is, that the Hawaiian boys are staid 

 and demure, having the quiet looks of old men. I cannot doubt that 

 they possess the natural tendency of youth towards frolicksome relaxa- 

 tions ; but the fear of offending keeps a constant restraint over them. 

 It might be well, perhaps, to introduce some innocent amusements ; 

 and indeed I believe this has been attempted, for I occasionally saw 

 them flying kites. 



The native games formerly practised were all more or less those of 

 hazard, which doubtless gave them their principal zest. 



The governor was kind enough, at my request, to have the game 

 of maika played. This was formerly a favourite amusement of the 

 chiefs, and consists in the art of rolling a stone of the above name. 

 I had heard many extraordinary accounts of the distance to which 

 this could be thrown or rolled, which was said to be sometimes 

 upwards of a mile. 



In some places they had trenches dug for this game upwards of a 

 mile in length, about three feet wide and two deep, with the bottom 

 level, smooth, and hard. The game is still practised, (although none of 

 the trenches remain,) on any level ground that may be suitable. In the 

 present instance, the governor selected the road in front of the house 

 I occupied. There was a large concourse of spectators, and several 

 men were chosen by the governor to throw. The maika is a piece 

 of hard lava, in the shape of a small wheel or roller, three inches 

 in diameter and an inch and a half thick, very smooth and highly 

 polished. The greatest distance to which they were thrown by the 

 most expert player, was four hundred and twenty yards. Many 

 were extremely awkward, and it was necessary for the spectators to 

 stand well on the side of the road for fear of accidents. All of them 

 threw the maika with much force, which was evident from its re- 

 bounding when it met with any obstruction. The crowd, which 

 amounted to three thousand persons, were greatly amused. This 

 was their great gambling game, and such was its fascination, that 

 property, wives, children, their arm and leg bones after death, and 

 even themselves while living, would be staked on a single throw in 

 the heathen time. 



They have another game, which I was told is now more in vogue 

 than it has been for some years. The revival of it is attributed by 

 some to the visit of the French frigate Artemise; and certainly the 

 natives do not appear to feel themselves so much restricted in their 

 amusements as they did before that event. It is called buhenehene, 

 and consists in hiding a stone under several bundles of tapa, generally 



