PUNISHMENT OF THEFT. 125 
mitted in the islands of the Pacific, have originated 
in this cause. 
Theft was practised, but less frequently among 
themselves than towards their foreign visitors. 
They supposed it equally criminal, yet they do not 
in general appear to have attached any moral 
delinquency to the practice; but they imagined 
they were more likely to avoid detection when 
stealing from strangers, than when robbing their 
own countrymen. Stealing was always considered 
as a crime among them, and every precaution was 
taken to guard against it. On this account, their 
large bales of valuable cloth, and most articles of 
property not in constant use, were kept suspended 
from the ridge-pole or rafters of their dwellings; 
their smaller rolls of cloth were often laid by their 
pillows; and their pigs were driven under their beds 
at night, to prevent their being stolen. 
This nefarious practice, strange as it may appear, 
was supported by their false system of religion, 
and sanctioned by the patronage of the gods, es¬ 
pecially by Hiro, a son of Oro, who was called the 
god of thieves. The aid of this god was invoked 
by those who went on expeditions of plunder, and 
the priests probably received a portion of the spoils. 
Chiefs of considerable rank have sometimes been 
detected in the act of stealing, or have been known 
to employ their domestics to thieve, receiving the 
articles stolen, and afterwards sheltering the plun¬ 
derers. This, however, has generally been prac¬ 
tised on the property of foreigners. 
Among themselves, if detected, the thief ex¬ 
perienced no mercy, but was often murdered on 
the spot. If detected afterwards, he was some¬ 
times dreadfully wounded or killed. Two very 
affecting instances of vengeance of this kind are 
