90 UPOLU — MANONO — SAVAII. 



benighted state, even the darkness of Paganism could not extenuate 

 the crime of murder. He told them that the Scriptures said, " Whoso 

 sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed ;" that nothing 

 but the life of the offender could satisfy the demands of justice, and that 

 they must execute the criminal themselves. 



This announcement caused much excitement; the chiefs again 

 asserted that they knew no such laws ; that by the customs of Samoa, 

 the anger of the friends and relations of a person who had been killed 

 was to be appeased by a present from the criminal or his relations, and 

 by a form of submission, w 7 hich consisted in knocking their heads three 

 times on the ground. To this it was replied, that the guilt of the 

 prisoner had been proved and admitted — he must die. 



The chiefs, after much reluctance, consented, but expressed great 

 repugnance to an immediate execution. They urged in the most 

 strenuous manner, that the criminal should be carried on board ship, 

 and executed there, or that he should be taken to some uninhabited 

 island and left. These alternatives were refused by Captain Hudson, 

 and the chiefs seemed in great distress. 



At this point of the discussion, the Vincennes was announced as being 

 in sight, and the proceedings were suspended. An officer was imme- 

 diately despatched, who, as has been already mentioned, boarded that 

 vessel off the harbour. 



When I landed, I found the assembly anxiously awaiting the result 

 of my arrival. Captain Hudson and myself had a private interview, in 

 which he detailed all the facts, and stated that it had been his intention 

 to compel the chiefs to make all the preparations for the execution, but 

 before it w r as carried into effect to come forward and reprieve the 

 criminal, at the same time requesting Mr. Mills to make an appropriate 

 speech, stating the reasons for the pardon. 



After a full discussion of the whole subject, we came to the conclu- 

 sion, that it would be best to transport the criminal to some other 

 island ; for it appeared probable that this would have a better effect than 

 even his execution, as it would be longer remembered, while to cause 

 him to be put to death might naturally excite a desire of revenge. 



This decision was at once communicated to the chiefs, with a 

 statement, that in conformity with the laws of Tahiti in such cases, 

 Tuvai should be transported to a desert island, where he would never 

 again have an opportunity of killing a white man. The chiefs, although 

 evidently relieved from the most intense part of their distress, were 

 still much affected by this decision. 



The prisoner was then ordered to be taken on board the Peacock, 

 whither he was followed by a crowd of natives, with many tears and 



