THROUGH HAWAII 
429 
a week in general, and once a week during the dry 
season. 
On the death of a chief, his lands revert to the 
king or the governor of the island. He may nominate 
his son, his wife, or any other person, to succeed to his 
districts, &c. but the appointment must be confirmed 
by the king or governor, before the individual can take 
possession. 
This regulation, next to the tabu, is the most effec¬ 
tual mode of preserving the authority and influence of 
the king and chiefs. 
In cases of assault or murder, except when com 
mitted by their own chief, the family and friends of the 
injured party are, by common consent, justified in 
retaliating. When they are too weak to attack the 
offender, they seek the aid of their neighbours, appeal 
to the chief of the district, or the king, who seldom in¬ 
flicts a heavier punishment than banishment even for 
murder, which, however, is a crime very rarely com¬ 
mitted by the natives. 
Theft among themselves is severely punished. For¬ 
merly, when a garden or house had been robbed, and 
the robbers were discovered, those whose goods had 
been stolen repaired to the house or plantation of the 
offenders, and Jiao (seized x whatever they could find. 
This regulation was so well established, that though 
the guilty party should be strongest, they would not 
dare to resist the retaliation; for in the event of their 
making any opposition, the people of a whole district 
would support those who were tnus punishing the in¬ 
dividuals by wnom theft had been committed. 
When robbery had been committed on the property 
of a high chief, or to any great amount, the thief, in 
