in several countries, where foreigners had intermingled with the original natives, the latter had soon disappeared; and, should missionaries come to live at Waiakea, perhaps the land would ultimately become theirs, and the kanaka maore (aborigines) cease to be its occupiers. I told them, that had been the case in some countries; but that the residence of missionaries among them, so far from producing it, was designed, and eminently calculated, to prevent a consequence so melancholy. At the same time I remarked, that their sanguinary wars, their extensive and cruel practice of infanticide, their frequent intoxication, and their numerous diseases, partly gendered by vicious habits, had, according to their own account, diminished the population of the island three-fourths within the last forty years; and, from the destructive operation of these causes, there was every reason to fear the Hawaiian people would soon be annihilated, unless some remedy was applied. No remedy, I added, was so efficacious as instruction and civilization; and above all, the principles and doctrines of the Bible, which they could not become acquainted with, but by the residence of missionaries among them. Such, I informed them, was the opinion of the friends of missions, who, anxious to ameliorate their wretched condition, preserve from oblivion the remnant of the people, place them among the nations of the earth, and direct them to the enjoyment of civilized life, and the participation of immortality and happiness in another world, had sent them the Word of God and missionaries, to unfold to them, in their own language, its divine and invaluable truths. At the close of this interview, some again repeated that it would be a good thing for missionaries to come; others expressed doubt and hesitation.

Many of the people, during their intercourse with foreigners, have been made acquainted with the leading facts in the history of South America and the West Indies; and hence the natives of this place, in all probability, derived the ground of their objection.

The inhabitants of Waiakea are peculiarly favoured in having woods producing timber, such as they use for building, within three or four miles of their settlement; while the natives in most parts of the islands have to fetch it from a much greater distance. In neatness and elegance of appearance, their houses are not equal to

those of the Society islanders, even before they were instructed by Europeans; but in point of strength and durability they sometimes exceed them. There is also less variety in the form of the Sandwich Island dwellings, which are chiefly of two kinds, viz. the hale noho (dwelling-house), or halau (a long building), nearly open at one end; and though thatched with different materials, they are all framed in nearly the same way.

The size and quality of a dwelling varies according to the rank and means of its possessor, those of the poor people being mere huts, eight or ten feet square, others twenty feet long, and ten or twelve feet wide, while the houses of the chiefs are from forty to seventy feet long. Their houses are generally separate from each other; even in their most populous villages, however near the houses may be, they are always distinct buildings. Although there are professed house-carpenters who excel in framing, and others who are taught to finish the corners of the house and ridge of the roof, which but few understand, yet, in general, every man erects his own house. If it be of a iniddling or large size, this, to an individual or a family, is a formidable undertaking, as they have to cut down the trees in the mountains, and bring the wood from six to ten miles on their shoulders with great labour, gather the leaves or grass, braid the cinet, &c., before they can even begin to build.

But when a chief wants a house, he requires the labour of all who hold lands under him; and we have often been surprised at the despatch with which a house is sometimes built, We have known the natives come with their materials in the morning, put up the frame of a middle-sized house in one day, cover it in the next, and on the third day return to their lands. Each division of people has a part of the house allotted by the chief, in proportion to its number; and it is no unusual thing to see upwards of a hundred men at a time working on one house.

A good house, such as they build for the chiefs, will keep out the wind and rain, and last from seven to ten years. But, in general, they do not last more than five years; and those which they are hired to build for foreigners, not much more than half that time. In less than twelve months after my own grass-house was built, the rain came through the roof, from one end to the other, every time there was a heavy shower.

In some of the islands, the natives have recently covered their houses with mud; this, however, does not appear to render them more durable.

Before they were visited by foreigners, the only tool employed in building was a stone adze, formed of a kind of basaltes, or compact lava; and though they now use an axe in felling the trees, the adze is still their favourite tool, and many of them use no other. The stone adze is, however, exchanged for one made with a plane iron, bent, and tied securely to a handle of light wood. This they prefer to the European adze, which they say is too heavy. Sometimes they use a saw, chisel, and gimlet, in framing their houses, but they are not yet adepts in the use of these tools; we have often seen them throw down the saw, and take up their adze, to finish that which they had commenced cutting with

a saw.

While idolatry existed, a number of superstitious ceremonies were performed, before they could occupy their houses. Offerings were made to the gods, and presents to the priest, who entered the house, uttered prayers, went through other ceremonies, and slept in it before the owner took possession, in order to prevent evil spirits from resorting to it, and to secure its inmates from the effects of incantation.

When the house was finished, it was soon furnished. A sleeping-mat spread on the ground, and a wooden pillow, a wicker basket or two to keep their tapa or native cloth in, a few calabashes for water and poë, and some wooden dishes, of various size and shape, together with a haka, were all they required. This latter article was sometimes like a stand used by us for hanging hats and coats on. It was often made with care, and carved, but more frequently it was a small arm of a tree, with a number of branches attached to it. These were cut off within a foot of the main stem, which was planted in some convenient part of the house, and upon these natural pegs they used to hang their calabashes, and other vessels containing victuals. They generally sat on the ground, and took their food near the door of their house: sometimes, however, they took their meals in the more luxurious manner of some of the eastern nations, lying nearly in a horizontal posture, and resting on one arm, or reclining on a large ́ cushion or pillow placed under the breast for that purpose: in this man

ner, the late king, with the members of his family, and many of the principal chiefs, were accustomed frequently to take their evening meal. Their intercourse with foreigners has taught many of the chiefs to prefer a bedstead to the ground, and a mattress to a mat, to sit on a chair, eat at a table, use a knife and fork, &c. This we think advantageous, not only to those who visit them for purposes of commerce, but to the natives themselves, as it increases their wants, and consequently stimulates to industry.

CHAPTER XIII.

Former customs on Wairuku river-Affecting instance of infanticideExtent of infanticide; motives to its practice; humane efforts of the chiefs for preventing it-Account of the native methods of curing diseases-Tradition of the origin of medicine-Waiakea bay-Conversation with natives of the Marquesian islands-Farewell visit to Maaro -Voyage to Laupahoehoe-Description of a double canoe-Native hospitality.

RETURNING from Pueo, on the 12th I visited Wairuku, a beautiful stream of water flowing rapidly over a rocky bed, with frequent falls, and many places eligible for the erection of water-mills of almost any description. Makoa and the natives pointed out a square rock in the middle of the stream, on which, during the reign of Tamehameha, and former kings, a toll used to be paid by every traveller who passed over the river. Whenever any one approached the stream, he stood on the brink, and called to the collector of the toll, who resided on the opposite side. He came down with a broad piece of board, which he placed on the rock above mentioned. Those who wished to cross met him there, and deposited on the board whatever articles had been brought; and if satisfactory, the person was allowed to pass the river. It did not appear that any uniform toll was required; the amount, or value, being generally left to the collector. The natives said it was principally regulated by the rank or number of those who passed over. In order the better to accommodate passengers, all kinds of permanently valuable articles were received. Some paid in native tapa and mats, or

baskets; others paid a hog, a dog, some fowls, a roll of tobacco, or a quantity of dried salt fish.

The river of Wairuku was also distinguished by the markets or fairs held at stated periods on its banks. At those times the people of Puna and the desolate shores of Kau, even from the south point of the island, brought mats, and mamake tapa, which is a remarkably strong black or brown native cloth, for the manufacture of which the inhabitants of Ora, and some of the inland parts of Puna, are celebrated throughout the whole group of the Sandwich Islands. It is made of a variety of the morus papyrifera, which grows spontáneously in those parts. These, together with vast quantities of dried salt fish, were ranged along on the south side of the ravine. The people of Hiro and Hamakua, as far as the north point, brought hogs, tobacco, tapa of various kinds, large mats made of the pandanus leaves, and bundles of ai pai,* which were collected on the north bank. From bank to bank the traders shouted to each other, and arranged the preliminaries of their bargains. From thence the articles were taken down to the before-mentioned rock in the middle of the stream, which in this place is almost covered with large stones. Here they were examined by the parties immediately concerned, in the presence of the collectors, who stood on each side of the rock, and were the general arbiters, in the event of any disputes arising. To them also was committed the preservation of good order during the fair, and they of course received a suitable remuneration from the different parties. On the above occasions, the banks of the Wairuku must often have presented an interesting scene, in the bustle of which these clerks of the market must have had no inconsiderable share. According to the account of the natives, this institution was in force till the accession of Rihoriho, the late king, since which time it has been abolished.

In the afternoon I called on Maaro, and found him very ill, and averse to conversation. His wives sat in the same room playing at cards, and apparently too intent on their game to be easily diverted.

About twelve years ago, a shocking instance of in

* Ai pai (hard food). A kind of food made of baked taro, pounded together without water, When properly prepared, it is wrapped in green ti leaves, and tied up in bundles containing from twenty to forty pounds each; in this state it will remain several months without injury.