324 
MISSIONARY TOUR 
nant passion, and the want of parental affection, which 
so often characterize savage life. 
A man and his wife, tenants of Mr. Young, who has 
for many years held, under the king, the small district 
of Kukuwau, situated on the centre of Waiakea bay, 
resided not far from Maaro’s house. They had one 
child, a fine little boy. A quarrel arose between them 
on one occasion respecting this child. The wife refus¬ 
ing to accede to the wishes of the husband, he, in 
revenge, caught up the child by the head and the feet, 
broke its back across his knee, and then threw it down 
in expiring agonies before her. Struck with the atro¬ 
city of the act, Mr. Young seized the man, led him 
before the king, Tamehameha, who was then at Waia¬ 
kea, and requested that he might be punished. The 
king inquired, “ To whom did the child he has mur¬ 
dered belong ?” Mr. Young answered, that it was his 
own son. “ Then,” said the king, “ neither you nor I 
have any right to interfere; I cannot say any thing 
to him.” 
We have long known that the Sandwich Islanders 
practised infanticide, but had no idea of the extent 
to which it prevailed, until we had made various in¬ 
quiries during our present tour, and ha£ conversed 
with Karaimoku Kapiolcini , the governor, and several 
other chiefs, who, though formerly unwilling to con¬ 
verse on the subject, have, since their reception of 
Christianity, become more communicative. 
It prevails throughout all the islands, and, with the 
exception of the higher class of chiefs, is, as far as we 
could learn, practised by all ranks of the people. 
However numerous the children among the lower or¬ 
ders, parents seldom rear more than two or three, and 
