THROUGH HAWAII. 
155 
tied up with cinet made of cocoa-nut fibres, and placed 
in different parts of the house, together with some rich 
shawls and other valuable articles, probably worn by 
those to whom the bones belonged, as the wearing 
apparel and other personal property of the chiefs is 
generally buried with them. 
When we had gratified our curiosity, and I had taken 
a drawing of the building, and some of its appendages, 
we proceeded to examine other remarkable objects of 
the place. 
Adjoining the Hare o Keave to the southward, we 
found a Pahu tabu (sacred enclosure) of considerable 
extent, and were informed by our guide that it was one 
of the pohonuas of Hawaii, of which we had so often 
heard the chiefs and others speak. There are only two 
on the island; the one which we were then examining, 
and another at Waipio, on the north-east part of the 
island, in the district of Kohala. 
These Pulionuas were the Hawaiian cities of refuge , 
and afforded an inviolable sanctuary to the guilty fugi¬ 
tive, who, when flying from the avenging spear, was so 
favoured as to enter their precincts. This had several 
wide entrances, some on the side next the sea, the others 
facing the mountains. Hither the manslayer, the man 
who had broken a tabu, or failed in the observance of 
its rigid requirements, the thief, and even the murderer, 
fled from his incensed pursuers, and was secure. To 
whomsoever he belonged, and from whatever part he 
came, he was equally certain of admittance, though 
liable to be pursued even to the gates of the enclosure. 
Happily for him, those gates were perpetually open; 
and as soon as the fugitive had entered, he repaired to 
the presence of the idol, and made a short ejaculatory 
