SANDWICH ISLANDS. 
133 
account of Boki’s party had rendered rather unintelligible ; 
and, indeed, when we consider that a balloon was one of 
the inexplicable things, we cannot wonder at it. Nalii 
was, however, still more anxious to learn if the King of 
England had deigned to send out a code of laws for the 
Sandwich Islands, which it appears to have been one of the 
chief objects of Iolani to procure. Ele asked many ques¬ 
tions as to the certainty and severity of punishment for 
crime, and we more particularly insisted on the equal deal¬ 
ing of justice to noble and peasant alike. This seemed to 
make a great impression on the chief. While this conversa¬ 
tion was going on, and while Nalii acknowledged that it 
was an excellent thing that the kanakas and erees should he 
equal by the laws, he had a favourite kanaka rubbing his 
back, and others waiting round him in the servility of actual 
slavery: in some cases the kanakas approach the erees on 
their knees. Alas! it is only by slow degrees that human 
creatures are improved. 
May 18.—To-day Lord Byron and a party took possession 
of an excellent house, of two stories high, and having a bal¬ 
cony before the windows of the second story, belonging to 
Kahumanu, who had offered it for their residence, and as a 
station for the surveyor, while they remain on the Island. 
She bought it from an American speculator, who brought 
