THROUGH HAWAII, 
37d 
part of the inhabitants of a village go out to this sport, 
when the wind blows fresh towards the shore, and 
spend the greater part of the day in the water. All 
ranks and ages appear equally fond of it. We have 
seen Karaimoku and Kakioeva, some of the highest 
chiefs in the island, both between fifty and sixty years 
of age, and large corpulent men, balancing themselves 
on their narrow board, or splashing about in the foam, 
with as much satisfaction as youths of sixteen. They 
frequently play at the mouth of a large river, where the 
strong current running into the sea, and the rolling of the 
waves towards the shore, produce a degree of agitation 
between the water of the river and the sea, that would 
be fatal to an European, however expert he might be; 
yet in this they delight: and when the king or queen, 
or any high chiefs, are playing, none of the common 
people are allowed to approach these places, lest they 
should spoil their sport. The chiefs pride themselves 
much on excelling in some of the games of their coun¬ 
try; hence Taumuarii, the late king of Tauai, was 
celebrated as the most expert swimmer in the surf, 
known in the islands. The only circumstance that 
ever mars their pleasure in this diversion is the ap¬ 
proach of a shark. When this happens, though they 
sometimes fly in every direction, they frequently unite, 
set up a loud shout, and make so much splashing in 
the water, as to frighten him away. Their fear of 
them, however, is very great; and after a party return 
from this amusement, almost the first question they 
are asked is, “Were there any sharks?” The fond¬ 
ness of the natives for the water must strike any 
person visiting their islands; long before he goes on 
shore, he will see them swimming around his ship; 
