I GO 



HA WAIL 



[letter x. 



of the franchise, and the influence of religion. When he heard 

 that I had spent some years in Scotland, he said, " Do you 

 know Mr. Wallace ? " I was quite puzzled, and tried to recall 

 any man of that name who I had heard of as having visited 

 Hawaii, when a happy flash of comprehension made me aware 

 of his meaning, and I replied that he died long before I knew 

 Scotland, and indeed before I was born ; but that the Scotch 

 held his memory in great veneration, and were putting up a 

 monument to him. But for the mistake as to dates, he seemed 

 to have the usual notions as to the exploits of Wallace. He 

 deplores most deeply the dwindling of his people, and his 

 manner became very sad about it. D. said, " He's very un- 

 happy ; he says, soon there will be no more Kanakas." He 

 told me that this beautiful valley was once very populous, and 



' even forty years ago, when Mr. Ellis visited it, there were 

 1,300 people here. Now probably there are not more than 200. 



Here was the Puhonua, or place of refuge for all this part of 

 the island. This, and the very complete one of Honaunau, on 

 the other side of Hawaii, were the Hawaiian " Cities of Refuge." 

 Could any tradition of the Mosaic ordinance on this subject 

 have travelled hither ? These two sanctuaries were absolutely 

 inviolable. The gates stood perpetually open, and though the 

 fugitive was liable to be pursued to their very threshold, he 

 had no sooner crossed it than he was safe from king, chief, or 

 avenger. These gates were wide, and some faced the sea, and 

 others the mountains. Hither the murderer, the manslayer, 

 the tabu-hxtaktr fled, repaired to the presence of the idol, and 

 thanked it for aiding him to reach the place of security. After 

 a certain time the fugitives were allowed to return to their 

 families, and none dared to injure those to whom the high gods 

 had granted their protection. 



In time of war, tall spears, from which white flags were un- 

 furled, were placed at each end of the enclosure, and until the 

 proclamation of peace invited the vanquished to enter. These 

 flags were fixed a short distance outside the walls, and no pur- 

 suing warrior, even in the hot flush of victory, could pursue his 

 routed foe one foot beyond. Within was the sacred pale of 



pahu tabu, and anyone attempting to strike his victim there 

 would have been put to death by the priests and their adherents. 

 In war time the children, old people, and many of the women 

 of the neighbouring districts, were received within the enclosure, 



where they awaited the issue of the conflict in security, and 

 were safe from violence in the event of defeat. These puhonuas 



