medicine and surgery. 335 
warm bath, but frequently steamed their patients 
on an oven of heated stones, or placed them over 
the smoke of a fire covered with green succulent 
herbs. They have also a singular method of em¬ 
ploying friction by rolling a stone or cannon-shot 
over the part in pain. I went one day into a house 
belonging to Karaimoku, where a chief was lying 
on his face, and the kahuna, or his attendant, was 
rolling a cannon-shot of twelve or fourteen pounds 
weight backwards and forwards along his back, in 
order to alleviate the pain. There were also 
among them oculists, who were celebrated for 
curing diseases of the eye, and who were some¬ 
times sent for by persons residing many miles 
distant. But in surgery they seem to be far be¬ 
hind the Society Islanders. 
The chiefs, and many of the natives, who are 
accustomed to associate with foreigners, have 
entirely discarded the native doctors ; and in 
times of sickness apply to the physician connected 
with the American mission, to the surgeon on 
shore, or one belonging to any ship in harbour, 
and shew a decided preference to foreign medi¬ 
cine. The great body of the people, however, are 
generally averse to our remedies, and prefer the 
attendance of the native doctors. The employ¬ 
ment is somewhat profitable; and the fee, which 
is either a piece of cloth, a mat, a pig, or dog, &c. 
is usually paid before the kahuna undertakes 
the case. 
In conversation on this subject with the gover¬ 
nor at Kairua, I once asked him what first induced 
them to employ herbs, &c. for the cure of diseases. 
He ^aid, that, many generations back, a man 
called Koreamoku obtained all their medicinal 
herbs from the gods, who also taught him the use 
