A VOYAGE TO 
1777. an inferior perfon to officiate as a hufband, the children he 
has by her are killed. And if a Teou be caught in an in¬ 
trigue with a woman of the blood-royal, he is put to death. 
The fon of the Eree de hoi fucceeds his father in title and 
honours, as foon as he is born; but if he ffiould have no 
children, the brother affiimes the government at his death. 
In other families, polfeffions always defcend to the eldeffc 
fon ; but he is obliged to maintain his brothers and lifters, 
who are allow r ed houfes on his eftates. 
The boundaries of the feveral diftricts, into which Ota- 
heite is divided, are, generally, either rivulets, or low hills, 
which, in many places, jut out into the fea. But the fub- 
divilions into particular property, are marked by large ftones, 
which have remained from one generation to another. The 
removal of any of thefe gives rife to quarrels, which are de¬ 
cided by arms ; each party bringing his friends into the 
field. But if any one complain to the Eree de hoi , he ter¬ 
minates the difference amicably. This is an offence, how¬ 
ever, not common; and long cuftom feems to fecure pro¬ 
perty here as effectually, as the moft fevere laws do in other 
countries. In conformity alfo to ancient practice eftablilhed 
amongft them, crimes of a lefs general nature are left to be 
punilhed by the fufferer, without referring them to a fupe- 
rior. In this cafe, they feem to think, that the injured per¬ 
fon w T ill judge as equitably as thofe who are totally uncon¬ 
cerned ; and, as long cuftom has allotted certain punifh- 
ments for crimes of different forts, he is allowed to inflict 
them, without being amenable to any other perfon. Thus, 
if any one be caught ftealing, which is commonly done in 
the night, the proprietor of the goods may put the thief in- 
ftantly to death; and if any one lliould inquire of him 
after the deceafed, it is fufficient to acquit him, if he only 
inform 
