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half a mile of the reef, we lowered our sails, and manning the oars, rowed round the northern point of the island. By eight o'clock on the 5th of May, we entered Fare harbour, and on our landing had the happiness to find our families and friends well. It was the Sabbath, and we repaired with gratitude to the house of God, to render our acknowledgments for preservation.

CHAP. XV.

Promulgation of the new code of laws in Huahine-Literal translation of the laws on Murder-Theft-Trespass-Stolen property-Lost property -Barter-Sabbath-breaking-Rebellion-Bigamy, &c.—Divorce,&c.—

Marriage--False accusation--Drunkenness-Dogs--Pigs-Conspiracy— Confessions-Revenue for the king and chiefs-Tatauing-VoyagingJudges and magistrates-Regulations for judges, and trial by juryMessengers or peace-officers-Manner of conducting public trials— Character of the Huahine code-Reasons for dissuading from capital punishments-Omission of oaths-Remarks on the different enactments -Subsequent amendments and enactments relative to the fisheries— Land-marks-Land rendered freehold property-First Tahitian parliament-Regulations relating to seamen deserting their vessels-Publicity of trials-Beneficial effects of the laws.

THE laws and regulations which had received the sanction of Teriiteria at Tahiti, were approved by the chiefs of Huahine, at a public national assembly held in the month of May, 1822. Mamae, a leading raatira, requesting that the laws might be enacted, his request was acceded to, and, after some slight modifications, were promulgated in Huahine, and Sir Charles Sander's island, under the authority of the queen, governors, and chiefs. They were subsequently printed, and circulated in every part of the islands.

In a letter which Mr. Barff transmitted with a printed copy, speaking of the laws, he remarks, "You will find them, in every material point, the same as when you left the islands: I insert a literal translation of this code, not because it was the last promulgated, nor that I consider

it superior in every respect to those by which it was preceded, but because it was adopted by the people with whom I was most intimately connected, and received a greater degree of the attention of my colleague and myself, than any of the others. It might, perhaps, have been abridged, or a mere enumeration of the laws might have furnished all the information that is interesting, yet the first code of laws adopted, written, and printed among a people, who, but a few years before, were ignorant heathen, lawless savages, is a document so important in the history of the people, as to justify its entire insertion. The title is E Ture na Huahine: "A Law,* or Code of Laws, for Huahine, caused to grow in the government or reign of Teriiteria, Hautia, and Mahine, subordinate (rulers)" and the Imprint is-"Huahine, printed at the Mission press, 1823."

The following is the Introduction immediately after the names of the queen and two principal chiefs

"From the favour of God, we have our government. Peace to you (People) of Huahine."

LITERAL TRANSLATION OF THE LAWS OF HUAHINE, AND SIR CHARLES SANDER'S ISLAND.

1. CONCERNING MURDER.

If parents murder their infants, or children unborn, if not the parents but the relatives, if not them, a stranger, or any person who shall wantonly commit murder, shall be punished-shall be transported to a distant land, uninhabited by men-such (a land) as Palmerston's Island. There shall (such criminals) be left until they die, and shall never be brought back. II. CONCERNING THEFT.

If a man steal one pig, four shall he bring as a recompense, for the owner of the pig two, for the king two. If he have no pigs, two single canoes,

There is no word in their language for law. The Hebrew word has been introduced, as according with the genius and idiom of Tahitian better than any other.

for the owner of the pig one, for the king one. If (he have) no canoes bales or bundles of native cloth, two of them, if the tusks of the pig were growing up out of its mouth.* Each bale shall contain one hundred fathoms (200 yards) of cloth, four yards wide. If a half-grown pig, five fathoms. If a small pig, twenty fathoms in the bale. For the owner of the pig one half, and for the king the other. If he have no cloth, arrowroot. If the pig stolen was a large one, forty measures. + For a halfgrown pig twenty measures, and for a small one ten. For the owne of the pig one part, for the king the other. Let the arrow-root of the king, and the owner of the pig, be equal. If not arrow-root, some other property. Thus let every thing stolen be paid for. Let four-fold be returned as a recompense, double for the king, and double for the owner. If he (the thief) have no property, let him be set to work on the lands of the person he has robbed. If he refuse, his land shall be the king's, and he shall wander on the road for an unlimited period. If the king restore him, he shall return to his land, if not (thus) restored he shall not return. The magistrates or judges shall award the punishment annexed to this crime in the laws, and that only. The judge shall not demand the value of the property from the relatives of the thief."

To this law, in the revision of the laws which took place in 1826, two or three particulars were added; one increasing the punishment with the repetition of the crime, and then expressly referring to those depredations in which burglary was committed, and a chest or box broken open.

III. RELATING TO PIGS.

If a pig enters a garden, and destroys the produce, let no recompense be required, because of the badness of the fence he entered. If stones are thrown at a pig, and it be bruised, maimed, or killed, the man thus injuring it shall take it, and furnish one equal in size, which he shall take to the owner of the pig killed or injured. If he has no pig, he shall take some other property, as a compensation. For a large pig, twenty measures of arrow-root, and for a smaller one, ten. If not arrow-root, cocoa-nut oil, as many bamboo canes full as measures of arrow-root would have been required. If not (this) personal labour, for a large pig he shall make

* A full-grown hog, of the largest size, is thus denominated. + A measure contains five or six pounds weight.

The figurative term for banishment.

twenty fathoms of fencing, for a small one five, for the owner of the pig killed. If it be a good fence, and is broken (through the hunger or obstinacy of the pig) and the produce is destroyed, the pig shall not be killed, but tied up, and the magistrate shall appoint the recompense the proprietor of the garden shall receive. The owner also shall mend the broken fence.

IV. CONCERNING STOLEN GOODS OR PROPERTY.

If a man attempting to steal property obtains it, and sells it to another, and the purchaser knew it to be stolen property which he bought—if he does not make it known, but keeps it a secret, he also is a thief; and as is the thief's, such shall be his punishment. Every person concealing property stolen by another, knowing it to be stolen, is also a thief; and as is the thief's, such shall be his punishment.

V. CONCERNING LOST PROPERTY.

When an article that has been lost is discovered by any one, and the owner is known to the finder, the property shall be taken to the person to whom it belongs. But if such property be concealed, when the finder knew to whom it belonged, and yet hid it, he also is a thief; and that his punishment be equal to that of a thief, is right.

VI. CONCERNING BUYING AND Selling, or Barter.

When a man buys or exchanges goods, let the agreement be deliberately and fairly made. When the bargain is finally and satisfactorily made, if one retains his (the article received,) and the other takes away his (the article given,) but after a short season returns it, the other (person) shall not take it again, unless he desires to do so; if agreeable to him to take it, it is with himself. If it be an article, the damage or defects of which were not perceived at the time of exchanging, but after he had taken it to his house were discovered, it is right that it be returned; but if the defects were known at the time of bartering, and when taken to the house were reconsidered, and then returned, it shall not be received.

VII. CONCERNING THE DISREGARD OF the Sabbath.

For a man to work on the Sabbath is a great crime before God. Work that cannot be deferred, such as dressing food when a sick person desires warm or fresh food, this it is right to do; but not such work as erecting houses, building canoes, cultivating land, catching fish, and every other employment that can be deferred. Let none travel about to a long distance on the Sabbath. For those who desire to hear a preacher on the day of food (the preceding day) it is proper to travel. If inconvenient to journey on the preceding day, it is proper to travel on the Sabbath (to attend public worship;) but not to wander about to a great

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