passed, being nearer the sea than that which the lava had overflowed, was covered with soil, and smiling with verdure. Near five P. M. we reached Keahialaka, the residence of Kinao, chief or governor of Puna. We found him lying on a couch of sickness, and felt anxious to administer to his comfort, yet did not like at so early an hour to halt altogether for the night. I therefore remained with the sick chief, while Messrs. Thurston and Bishop went on to a village at the east point, about two - miles distant. When they reached Pualaa, the abovementioned village, they were kindly welcomed by the head man, who soon had the people of the place collected at their request, and to them Mr. Thurston proclaimed the news of salvation through Jesus Christ. The chief entertained the travellers with hospitality, and their lodgings were comfortable.

Just before the setting of the sun, I preached to the people at the village where I was staying, and spent the evening with the chief, who was afflicted with a pulmonary complaint, and almost reduced to a skeleton, earnestly recommending him to apply to Jesus, the great physician of souls. He seemed at first much attached to the superstitions of his ancestors, said he had performed every ceremony that he thought likely to be of any avail, and would do any thing to live; but added, E make paha auanei, Perhaps I must soon die. The love of the Saviour, and his suitableness to the situation of the poor chief, were pointed out, and he was requested rather to seek unto Him for the salvation of his soul, than to priests and the incantations of sorcerers for the prolongation of his mortal life, which, although of infinitely less moment than the well-being of his soul, was yet entirely beyond their power. He listened attentively, and at a late hour requested me to pray for him to Jesus Christ. The family collected during the time of prayer, at the close of which the chief reclined on his mat, but said he could not sleep.

We were fatigued with the labours of the day, though we had not travelled so far as usual. The country had been much more populous than any we had passed since leaving Kona, and we felt thankful for the opportunities that we had this day enjoyed of speaking to so many about those things which concern their everlasting peace. May the Holy Spirit water the seed this day

sown!

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Messrs. Thurston and Bishop conducted the usual worship with the people, who at an early hour the next morning crowded the house where they had lodged. I spent some time in endeavouring to inform the dark mind of the dying chief on points of the last importance; again directed him to that compassionate Saviour who invites all to come unto him, receives even those who apply at the eleventh hour, and is able to save to the uttermost those who trust in his mercy. I afterward prayed with him and his family, and then bade them farewell.

The situation of Kinao was affecting. He appeared in the midst of his days, probably not more than thirty or forty years of age; and though formerly robust and healthy, he was now pale, emaciated, and reduced almost to a skeleton. Enveloped in all the darkness of paganism, and perhaps agitated with fearful uncertainties respecting a future state, he clung eagerly to life, yet seemed to feel a conviction of his approaching end daily increasing. Like his countrymen in general, he supposed his disease inflicted in consequence of the prayers of some malicious enemy, or the vindictive displeasure of the gods of his country; hence he had consulted the sorcerers, expended on them his property, and attended to all their injunctions, if by any means his life might be spared.

The popular superstitions of the islanders lead them to imagine that an individual who possesses the means of employing a sorcerer may afflict with painful disease, and even occasion the death of, any person against whom he may indulge feelings of hatred or revenge. They also believe that the sorcerers, by certain incantations, can discover the author or cause of the disease, and refer it back to the party with whom it originated. So prevalent are these notions, that the people generally believe every individual, who does not meet his death by some act of violence, is destroyed by the immediate power of an unpropitious deity, by poison, or the incantations of the sorcerers employed by some cruel enemy. This belief gives the sorcerers great influence among the middling and lower orders; and in times of protracted sickness, their aid is almost invariably sought by all who can procure a dog and a fowl for the sacrifice, and a piece or two of tapa as a fee for the priest. A dog and a fowl are all that are necessary for the ceremony:

but the offerings to the god and the fees to the priest are regulated according to the wealth or rank of the individual on whose behalf the aid of sorcery is employed.

The ceremonies performed are various; but the most general is the kuni ahi, broiling fire, a kind of anaaná, or sorcery, used to discover the person whose incantation has induced the illness of the party for whom it is performed. When a chief wishes to resort to it, he sends for a priest, who on his arrival receives a number of hogs, dogs, and fowls, together with several bundles of tapa. Before he commences any of his operations, all persons, except the parties immediately concerned, retire from the house, which the priest tabus, and prohibits strangers from entering. He then kindles a small fire somewhere near the couch of the invalid, and covers it with stones. This being done, he kills one of the dogs by strangling it, and cuts off the head of one of the fowls, muttering all the while his prayers to the god he invokes. The dog, fowl, and pig, if there be one, are then cut open, embowelled, and laid on the heated stones, the priest continuing his incantations, and watching at the same time the offerings broiling on the fire. A small part only of these offerings is eaten by the priest, the rest remain on the fire until consumed, when the priest lies down to sleep; and if his prayers are answered, he informs the poor sufferer, on awaking, who or what is the cause of his sickness. Additional presents are then made to the god, and other prayers offered, that the sickness may seize the person whose incantations, in the first instance, caused it; or, if in consequence of any delinquency towards the god on the part of the sufferer, that he would abate his anger, and remove the disease. But if, during his sleep, the priest has no revelation or dream, he informs his employers, on awaking, that he has not succeeded, and that another kuni ahi must be prepared before he can satisfy them respecting the cause of sickness. On such occasions the unsuccessful priest is often dismissed, and another sent for, to try his influence with the god.

Different priests employ different prayers or incantations, and are careful to keep the knowledge of them confined to their families, as each one supposes, or wishes the people to think, his own form the best; hence we have often heard the natives, when talking on the subject, say, "He pule mana ko me," A powerful

CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIVES.

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prayer has such a one: and the priest or sorcerer who is supposed to have most influence with the god is most frequently employed by the people, and hence derives the greatest emoluments from his profession. Though Uri is the principal god for the sorcerers, each tribe has its respective deities for these occasions. Thus the poor deluded people are led to imagine that the beings they worship are continually exerting their power against each other; or that the same god who, when a small offering only was presented, would allow sickness to continue till death should destroy the victim of his displeasure, would, for a larger offering, restrain his anger, and withdraw the disease. The sorcerers were a distinct class among the priests of the island, and their art appears to claim equal antiquity with the other parts of that cruel system of idolatry by which the people have been so long oppressed; and though it has survived the destruction of the national idolatry, and is still practised by many, it is entirely discontinued by the principal chiefs in every island, and by all who attend to Christian instruction.

CHAPTER XII.

Conversation with the natives-Appearance of the country in the vicinity of Pualaa-Extinguished volcano in the valley of Kapoho-Description of the horua, a native game-Traditionary story of a contest between Pélé and Kahavari-Incidents on the journey to Hiro-Description of OraPublic worship at Waiakea-Conversation with a priestess of Pélé, the goddess of the volcanoes-Opinion of the natives respecting the permanent residence of missionaries at Waiakea-Description of native houses.

Ir was about eight o'clock in the morning of the seventh when I joined Messrs. Thurston and Bishop at Pualaa, where we took breakfast, and afterward spent the forenoon in conversation with the natives.

Two or three old men, whom we afterward learned were priests, seemed to dispute what we said about Jehovah's being the only true God, and the Christian the only true religion. They said they thought their taö (traditions) respecting Tu, Tanaroa, Rono, or Orono, and Tairi, were as authentic as the accounts in our book, though ours, from the circumstance of their VOL. IV.-K

being written, or, as they expressed it, "hana paia i ka palapala" (made fast on the paper), were better preserved, and more akaaka, clear, or generally intelligible.

To this we replied at some length, after which the old men ceased to object, but withheld their assent. Numbers sat around, and seemed interested in the discussion. We continued talking to them on the subject of their traditions, one of which we wrote down as they repeated it.

About half-past eleven we took leave of them, and directed our way across the eastern point. A most beautiful and romantic landscape presented itself on our left, as we travelled out of Pualaa.

We

As we reached Kapoho a cluster apparently of hills three or four miles round, and as many hundred feet high, with deep indented sides, overhung with trees, and clothed with herbage, standing in the midst of the barren plain of lava, attracted our attention. walked through the gardens that encircled its base, till we reached the south-east side, where it was much lower than on the northern parts. Here we ascended what appeared to us to be one of the hills, and on reaching the summit were agreeably surprised to behold a charming valley opening before us. It was circular, and open towards the sea. The outer boundary of this natural amphitheatre was formed by an uneven ridge of rocks, covered with soil and vegetation. Within these there was a smaller circle of hills, equally verdant, and adorned with trees. The sides of the valley, which gradually sloped from the foot of the hills, were almost entirely laid out in plantations, and enlivened by the cottages of their proprietors. In the centre was an oval hollow, about half a mile across, and probably two hundred feet deep, at the bottom of which was a beautiful lake of brackish water, whose margin was in a high state of cultivation, planted with taro, bananas, and sugar-cane. The steep perpendicular rocks forming the sides of the hollow were adorned with tufts of grass, or blooming pendulous plants; while along the narrow and verdant border of the lake at the bottom, the bread-fruit, the kukui, and the ohia trees appeared, with now and then a lowly native hut standing beneath their shade. We walked to the upper edge of the rocks that form the side of the hollow, where we viewed with pleasure this singularly beautiful scene.