THROUGH HAWAII. 
423 
speaking, whatever their business might be, till he 
should address them, and then continue standing until 
requested by him to sit down. 
In some respects the government resembles the 
ancient feudal system of the northern nations. During 
many periods of their history, not only the separate 
islands, but the larger divisions of some of them, have 
been under the government of independent kings or 
chiefs ; and it does not appear that until the reign of 
Rihoriho, the late king, they were ever united under 
one sovereign. The king is acknowledged in every 
island as the lord and proprietor of the soil by here¬ 
ditary right, or the laws of conquest. When Tarneha » 
meha had subdued the greater part of the islands, he 
distributed them among his favourite chiefs and war¬ 
riors, on condition of their rendering him, not only 
military service, but a certain proportion of the produce 
of their lands. This also appears to have been their 
ancient practice on similar occasions, as the hoopahora 
or papahora, division of land among the ranakira or 
victors, invariably followed the conquest of a district 
or island. 
Every island is given by the king to some high chief, 
who is supreme governor in it, but is subject to the 
king, whose orders he is obliged to see executed, and 
to whom he pays a regular rent or tax, according to 
the size of the island, or the advantages it may pos¬ 
sess. Each island is separated into a number of per¬ 
manent divisions, sometimes fifty or sixty miles in ex¬ 
tent. In Hawaii there are six, -Kohala, Kona, &c. 
Each of the large divisions is governed by one or two 
chiefs, appointed by the king or by the governor, and 
approved by the former. These large divisions are 
