332 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
of the chiefs, is encouraging. It warrants tl e 
most sanguine expectations, that as Christianity 
advances among the Hawaiians, this, and other 
customs equally degrading to their character, and 
destructive of their race, will be entirely laid aside, 
as has been the case among the Tahitians; and 
there is every reason to presume, that the pleasing 
change, which has resulted from the general re¬ 
ception of the gospel among the latter, will, under 
the divine blessing, be ultimately realized by the 
Sandwich Islanders. May that happy period soon 
arrive ! for if the total abolition of this cruel prac¬ 
tice (though amongst the least of its benevolent 
objects) be the only advantage which the estab¬ 
lishment of a Christian Mission in these distant 
islands shall confer on their inhabitants, yet, in 
rescuing every year, through all the succeeding 
generations of this reviving nation, multitudes 
from a premature death, the liberal assistance of 
its friends, and the labours of its several members, 
will be most amply rewarded.* 
On the morning of the 13th, we examined some 
of the eastern parts of the bay. I also visited 
Maaro. On arriving at the house in which I had 
left the sick chief yesterday, the natives told me 
that he had been removed, that the house where 
he then was, was tabu, and the tabu would be 
broken if I should go there. They refused to tell 
where he was, but did not attempt to prevent my 
* We have reason to believe this is now in a great 
measure accomplished. In June 1824, Kaapumanu pub¬ 
licly enjoined the chiefs of Maui to proclaim by herald, that 
there should be no murder—alluding especially to infan¬ 
ticide : the same regulations have been enforced in other 
islands ; and if the crime is practised now, it is under the 
same circumstances as secret murder would be per¬ 
petrated. 
