SECTION VIII.


General Account of the Sandwich Islands, continued.--Government.--People
divided into three Classes,--Power of Erreetaboo.--Genealogy of the Kings
of Owhyhee and Mowee.--Power of the Chiefs.--State of the inferior Class.
--Punishment of Crimes.--Religion.--Society of Priests.--The Orono.--Their
Idols.--Songs chanted by the Chiefs, before they drink Ava.--Human
Sacrifices.--Custom of knocking out the fore Teeth.--Notions with regard to
a future State.--Marriages.--Remarkable Instance of Jealousy.--Funeral
Rites.


The people of these islands are manifestly divided into three classes. The
first are the _Erees_, or chiefs, of each district, one of which is
superior to the rest, and is called at Owhyhee _Eree-taboo_, and _Eree-
moee_. By the first of these words they express his absolute authority; and
by the latter, that all are obliged to prostrate themselves (or put
themselves to sleep, as the word signifies) in his presence. The second
class are those who appear to enjoy a right of property without authority.
The third are the _towtows_, or servants, who have neither rank nor
property.

It is not possible to give any thing like a systematical account of the
subordination of these classes to each other, without departing from that
strict veracity, which, in works of this nature, is more satisfactory than
conjectures, however ingenious. I will, therefore, content myself with
relating such facts as we were witnesses to ourselves, and such accounts as
we thought could be depended upon; and shall leave the reader to form from
them his own ideas of the nature of their government.