The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-02-26

mariners sometimes saw IN the distance q
beautiful island Astounding In cocoanut trees.
but II was unsubstantial and ghostly. and re-
coded before them like tho mirage OF the
desert. As for tho great majority OF the dead.
these. ofter a delay OF n few days. were sup
posed to 60 to u subterranean hndes. In
Vulnerable were the objects worshtpped by
the ancient Hawailans; It Is noteworthy. how
over. that no worship was paid to The
sun. moon. or stars. There were four great
gods who wero adcred In this insular group as
we'll as throughout Polynesia: 1t should TO re-
niembered that the Hawaiians wero nccus-
toned to count by tours. These four deities
wero conceived Of as powerful. invisible beings
dwelling In or above the clouds. but also ap-
pearing oil earth in human form. The most
primitive and powerful OF these diviuities was
Kane. who Is described by soIne OF the prayers
In his honor as the father OF mon and founder
OF the world. Associated with him was his
younger brother. kannloa. who was credited
vita the Introduction OF banana trees and
other useful plants. The third OF the higher
dcities was Ku. who was dreaded az a male
VIOLENT being dclighting in the surerinGs and
immolation OF human Victims. The fourth and
last OF tho grent gods. Lono. had q scpa-
rate order OF priests md temples OF a
lower grade. in which human sacrifices
were never offered. As time went on
there was y strong tendency to multiply
divinities. Snecial attributes OF the higher
gods wore differentiated and embodied in dis
tinct deities. There were also local gods.
professional gods. dcined animals. and tutelnr
dcities attached 10 particular families who
were generally. but not always. deiiiel an
castors. che Hawaiian gods were usually
worshiprei by means Of idols. the belief be-
ing that u spirit resided In the image repre-
6ppfinu than. Tha prippipul rpta which
stood in the great temples wore OF wood. and
werr purposely made hideons in order to in
spirc fear. Another class NJ gods was repre-
scented hy images OF wicker work covered with
red feathers and having eyes made OF mother
of-rearl. and wide. gaping mouths armed
with sharks teeth. There were two principal
orders OF temples and also OF officiating
priests. viz. those Of XII and those OF Lono.
1t wns only in the former that human sncri-
fcea could be offered. These temples were
usually extensive stone platfor ms or terraces
surrounded by stone walls. About tho centre
OF the terrace was q sacred house in which tho
King resided during tho periods OF tabu. AMI
at the northern end stood the houses Of
tho priests: near the entrance to nm inner
court was an altar. n sort OF scaffolding sup
ported by posts on which offerings were laid
and left to moulder away. The temple SER
vices were elaborate and complicated. The
prayers were known by special names. and had
been handed down by word OF mouth for many
generations. They were in a very ancient die.
ton. and understood only by II few. and they
often occupied several hours in their recital.
In some services there were responses made
by the people. or By n company OF priests. this
assembly rising AMI sitting Mt given signals.
or holding their hands toward heaven for half
an houe ut n time. The object commonly
offered in sacrifice was the pig: but a human
sacrifice was the browning net OF tho ancient
worship. Only offered on the most impo rtant
occasions and at temples OF the highest class.
Tho victims were either prisoner taken in war
or persons accused OF n violation OF some OF the
nlmberless regulations or the tabu. The
cmales sex seems to have heen exempt from
sacrifice. and cnnnibalism was regarded with
horror and detestation.
Something should bc said about the tabu
system which. although characteristic OF
the Polynesian race. was perhaps most
fully developed in the Hawaiian Islands.
As we shall sse. it was nomin ally
abolished just before the first organized at
tempt to convert the islanders to Christian
ity. 1t was u complicated system. covering
the whole dnily life OF the people with n net
work OF regulations. tho violation OF which was
not merely a crime. but a sin. Some tabus
were permanent. others special and Temporal
ry. OF the former kim wore those relating to
tho chiefs or to idols or temples. while others
pertained to particular seasons. or were i'm
POSED by tho King. The most oppressive Of
these relations were those relating to tho in
tercourso ofthe sexes. 1t wastabu for men md
women to eattogether or even to have their
food cooked in the same oven. In every
domestic establishment the chapel for
the family idols and tho mems eating house
were tabu to the women on pain OF death.
For women to eat several kinds OF food also
subjected them to the death penalty: among
tho tabu articles wero pork. bananas. cocoa
nuts. turtles. and several kinds OF fish. There
were four tnbu periods during Zach lunar
month. comprising from two to three nights
each: during those. 1t was tabu for women to
enter canoes or to have any intercourse with
the other sex. Apropos OF the relations OF the
sexes. We NAV here mention the fact that. while
every other act In lilo was accompanied with
prayer and sacri'lces to tie gods. there were
no religious ceremonies connected with mar.
riacr. Wedloci was entered upon with less
ceremony than was fishing or planting.
1t Is recorded In the Hawaiian traditions that
In the reign OF Rehabilitation. who apparently
came to the throne about A. ID. 1JHJ-3O. q
foreign vessel WAS wrecked on tho southwest
ern part OF the island Of Hawaii. Tho tradi-
tion relates that only the Captain aad his
sister reached tho shore in safety. and that
they knelt down on the beach. remaining n
long time In that posture. whence the place
was called Kulou. rs 1t Is ut this day. They
were received kindly by the people. and had
food set before them. The strangers intor-
married with tho natives. and became the
prnG"nitors Of certain well-known families OF
chiefs. Now we learn from Spanish historians
that Cortes fitted ont several exploring eype-
ditions on the western coast Of Mexico about
this time. The first squadron. consistin. of
three vessels under Aivaradn do Saavsdra.
sailed for the spice islands Oct. II.
1927. The two smaller vessels were
never heard from. hut Saavedra pursued
tho voyage alone in his own ship to
the Moluccas. As no white people except the
Spaniards wore navigating tho Pacific Ocean
at that period it seems certain that the foreign
vessel which was wrecked about this time on
tho coast OF Hawaii must have been one Of
saaVedra's missing ships. There is also little
doubt that these islands were discovered by
Al