I 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
436 
with inferiors, as it was desirable that the supreme 
rank they held should descend to their posterity. 
They were told that such marriages were forbidden 
in the word of God, were held in abhorrence by 
all civilized and Christian nations, and had seldom 
been known to leave any descendants to wear the 
honour or sustain the rank the contracting parties 
desired thus to perpetuate. 
Several of the chiefs present made no profession 
of Christianity, and, consequently, were unin¬ 
fluenced by some of the remarks; but the com 
eluding observation appeared of importance to 
them all. They said they thought there was some 
truth in it; that the late king Tamehameha, father 
of Rihoriho, had several wives, who were his near 
relations, and even his daughter-in-law, yet left 
no children, except those of whom Keopuolani 
was the mother, and who, though a sacred chief 
of higher rank than her husband, was the grand¬ 
daughter of a princess of another island, and dis¬ 
tantly connected with his family, and that the 
same was the case with Rihoriho. 
The marriage was postponed; and it appears to 
be the opinion of the chiefs in general, that it ought 
not to take place. The individuals themselves are 
entirely passive in the affair; and we view it as a 
happy circumstance, subversive of an evil custom, 
and tending to produce moral feelings highly 
advantageous, and illustrative of the collateral 
advantages arising from the influence of Christian 
Missionaries. 
An interesting conversation took place this 
evening, relative to the first visits the islanders 
received from foreigners. The possession of pieces 
of iron, particularly one supposed to be the point 
of a broad-sword, by the natives of Tauai, (Atooi,) 
