A VOYAGE TO 
■ 779 - 
March. 
but it Ihould feem, that it is Efficiently protected againfl 
private theft, or mutual depredation. For not only their 
plantations, which are fpread over the whole country, but 
alfo their houfes, their hogs, and their cloth, were left un¬ 
guarded, without the fmalleft apprehenlions. I have al¬ 
ready remarked, that they not only feparate their poffef- 
iions by walls in the plain country, but that, in the woods 
likewife, wherever the horfe-plantains grow, they make ufe 
of fmall white flags, in the fame manner, and for the fame 
purpofe of difcriminating property, as they do bunches of 
leaves at Otaheite. All which circumftances, if they do not 
amount to proofs, are ftrong indications that the power of 
the Chiefs, where property is concerned, is not arbitrary; 
but, at lead:, fo far circumfcribed and afcertained, as to 
make it w'orth the while for the inferior orders to culti¬ 
vate the foil, and to occupy their pofleffions diftind from 
each other. 
With refped to the adminiftration of juftice, all the in¬ 
formation we could colled: was very imperfed and con¬ 
fined. Whenever any of the lowed clafs of people had a 
quarrel amongft themfelves, the matter in difpute was re¬ 
ferred to the decifion of fome Chief, probably the Chief of 
the diftrid, or the perfon to whom they appertained. If an 
inferior Chief had given caufe of offence to one of a higher 
rank, the feelings of the latter at the moment feemed the 
only meafure of his punifhment. If he had the good for¬ 
tune to efcape the firft tranfports of his fuperior’s rage, he 
generally found means, through the mediation of fome 
third perfon, to compound for his crime by a part or the 
whole of his property and effeds. Thefe were the only 
fads that came to our knowledge on this head. 
The religion of thefe people refembles, in moft of it? 
principal 
