chieftainship of Owhyhee devolved on Teraiopu, the Tereeoboo of Cook. He was succeeded by Kevalao, the Teamawheere of Vancouver; a tyrant whose pride was so excessive as to prompt him to visit with death the offence of any one of the lower order, who, between sun-rise and sun-set, should even inadvertently look upon the hallowed person of the Eree-tabu, the sacred chief. The celebrated Tamehameha was cousin to this worthy legitimate, and held the independent sovereignty of a section of the island. He was not a man to crouch before a despot, nor was Kevalao likely to brook pretensions to equality; and they were soon at deadly feud. The final and decisive contest, which lasted seven days, terminated in the death of Kevalao, and the elevation of Tamehameha, who ultimately made himself master of the whole of the Sandwich Isles. This extraordinary man seems to have been of the first order of intellect. He neglected nothing. Notwithstanding his comparative power, he was aware of his inability to defend his people against European vexations or encroachment, and, with a view to guard against all contingencies, he made a formal cession of his dominions to the King of Great Britain; an act which has been confirmed by his successors, and, as it should seem, accepted by our cabinet. After having consolidated his power, and established a profitable and extensive system of commerce, he died in May, 1819, leaving his office to his son lolani, or Riho Riho, a young man of good intentions, but of strong passions, and ambitious of power and distinction. He has been represented as addicted to drinking, but, from this charge, he is defended by the Editor of the present volume, who denies the habit, and extenuates the occasional excess, by an emphatic reference to the delinquencies of nobles and princes among ourselves. His first measures exhibited the boldness and decision of his character. The prompt extinction of rebellion by placing himself unguarded in the hands of its leader, that he might overcome by argument and remonstrance, rather than by arms; the suppression of idolatry; the removal of the arbitrary and oppressive disqualifications that placed females in a state of degradation; all these were the acts of an enlightened and determined spirit. Nor were these things hastily or rashly done. Riho Riho took counsel, and was aided by the sanction and example of his most powerful chieftains. His visit to England, too, appears to have been neither a capricious nor an unadvised step. Independently of his reasonable curiosity to witness the circumstances of European society, and the sources of that power which extended its signs and influences so far from its centre, he was anxious to arrange a permanent understanding with the Government of Great

Britain, and to obtain a formal and authoritative recognition of the alliance between the protected and protecting nations. With these views, he embarked in an English merchant vessel commanded by a Captain Starbuck, an American, to whom dishonesty and intrigue are very unequivocally imputed. He refused to receive on board, as interpreter, the English missionary Ellis; and his dealings in money transactions are represented as the very reverse of honourable. It is suggested, that he might have in view more important objects, and that, if circumstances had favoured his machinations, he intended ultimately to inveigle his passengers to America, and there to stipulate for the cession of one of the Sandwich Islands, in exchange for the liberty of returning to their kingdom. He had taken care to lighten the stock purse of the party very seriously; and he probably calculated, that when the remainder had been dissipated in England, they would be at his mercy for a passage back. He would then have conveyed them to the United States, and accomplished the rest of his purpose in his own way.

• When Riho Riho embarked, he had taken twenty-five thousand dollars on board with him. Captain Starbuck, who took on himself to regulate the king's expenditure, alleged that three thousand had been spent during their short stay at Rio Janeiro, a certain number on the road from Portsmouth to London, and these were the only sums he could account for; although, when the cash chests belonging to the king were opened at the Bank of England, little more than ten thousand dollars were found.'

It is stated, that the merchants of the United States are very desirous of obtaining a port in the Pacific, and that one of the Sandwich Islands would be well suited to their purpose, It is, moreover, broadly intimated, that the American missionaries at Owhyhee are intriguing for an influential share in the general political administration. However all this may be, the Captain's designs, if they were mischievous, were cut short by the intervention of the British Government, who, very wisely and humanely, appointed a guardian to Riho Riho and his suite, paid them every attention, and, when the lamentable deaths of the young king and queen had put an end to all their speculations, sent home their remains with royal honours.

The behaviour of the whole party is described as exemplary, while in this country. They examined every thing with a curiosity eager but not rude; and, when they were introduced to an assembly of rank and fashion, invited by Mr. Canning for the purpose of meeting them, if any of the well-dressed

• mob' had anticipated amusement at the uncouth behaviour of the savages, they were disappointed at finding,

that not the slightest embarrassment or awkwardness was displayed by them, and that the king knew how to hold his state, and the erees to do their service, as well as if they had practised all their lives in European courts.'

They were delighted with Westminster Abbey; the music affected them much; and when Riho Riho was informed that the ancient kings of England lay buried in Henry the Seventh's Chapel, he paused on the steps, and refused to enter. The place, he said, was too sacred.' He was taken to Covent Garden theatre; and much gratification was expressed when he learned that the royal box had been fitted up expressly for his reception. The whole party were averse to regular hours for meals; they ate when they were hungry, and could not learn the habit of adjusting the appetite to particular hours.

Their greatest luxury was oysters, of which they were particularly fond; and one day, some of the chiefs having been out to walk, and seeing a grey mullet, instantly seized it and carried it home, to the great delight of the whole party, who, on recognizing the native fish of their own seas, could scarcely believe that it had not swam hither on purpose for them, or be persuaded to wait till it was cooked before they ate it.'

The closing scenes were extremely affecting. One of the suite, who had been left on board in charge of the baggage, having landed at different places in the river, had caught the measles, and communicated the infection to the king and queen. The former was affected violently, but not alarmingly: the latter exhibited the most dangerous symptoms.

No hope remaining of the queen's recovery, her husband was apprised of her danger. He caused himself to be immediately placed in his arm-chair and wheeled to her apartment; when, being lifted upon her bed and placed by her side, he embraced her affectionately, and they both wept bitterly. He then dismissed the attendants, and they remained for some time alone together. Till then, the king was supposed to be recovering; but it was understood, that at this mournful interview, these young people had agreed that one should not survive the other. At five o'clock, he desired to be conveyed to his own bed, where he lay without speaking, and the queen died about an hour after he left her; that is, about six o'clock in the evening of the 8th of July, 1824.

Liliah, whose dutiful and affectionate behaviour to her friend and mistress had been most exemplary, now took charge of her body, and disposed it after the manner of her country, unclothing it to the waist, leaving also the ancles and feet bare, and carefully dressing

the hair and adorning it with chaplets of flowers. The king now desired the body might be brought into his apartment, and laid on a small bed near him; that being done, he sat up looking at it, but neither speaking nor weeping. The medical attendants observed, that the state of Riho Riho was such as to render it highly improper, to keep the queen's body near him, and it was therefore proposed to him to allow it to be taken away; but he sat silent, and answered no one, only by gestures shewing that he forbade its removal. At length, after much persuasion, and then leaving him to himself for a time, he suddenly made signs that it might be taken away; which was accordingly done, and the queen was again placed on her own bed. From this day the king's disorder rapidly increased; the loss of the queen decided his fate: his spirits sank, his cough increased, and he himself declared he should not long survive. On the day of the king's decease, he was supported by pillows, and said little, but repeated the words, "I am dying, I am dying" within the curtains of the bed, one of the chiefs sat continually, with his face towards the king, and his eyes fixed on him, in conformity, as they said, with their native customs.'

It was much regretted by the King of England, that he had not been able to arrange an interview with Riho Riho; and as early as convenient after the decease of the Eree-tabu, his followers were introduced to his Britannic Majesty at Windsor. They were charmed with their reception, and felt, in full force, the impression of that mingled grace and dignity which distinguish the deportment of the British sovereign.

On the 22d of September (1824), they finally left London, and went to wait at Portsmouth for the arrival of the Blonde from Woolwich..........It was observed, that these chiefs never forgot a person. they had once seen; and, in most cases, they had remarked some peculiarity by which they contrived to identify even those whose names they had never heard. They inspired great interest in every society in London, and when once seen, they were sure to be remembered with kindness. They returned to their native country loaded with presents from various quarters, and have carried back with them a love and respect for England, which do no less honour to themselves than to this country.'

The Blonde, a fine frigate of 46 guns, under the command of Lord Byron, sailed with her unusual freight from Spithead, Sept. 28th; and after touching at Madeira, Rio de Janeiro, St. Catherine's, Valparaiso, Callao, and Albemarle Island, an chored, on the evening of May the 4th, in Lahaina Bay, Maui, They had previously learned from a fisherman, that the absence of Riho Riho had encouraged Taumuarii, one of the native chiefs, to revolt; and, as he was of royal descent, he had, found little difficulty in raising a party. Karaimoku, the re

gent, lost no time in collecting troops and exerting himself to suppress the rebellion.

At Maui, the erees agreed, it would be proper to send two hundred men in canoes; but the chiefs themselves, either dreading a renewal of the bloody scenes which had troubled them in the time of Tamehameha, or moved by the caprice or indolence of half-civilized men, seemed unwilling to join the expedition, when Kaikeoeva, an aged chief, came among them, and learning the cause of their meeting, and their backwardness to go to battle, he lifted up his withered hands and said, "Hear me, ye chiefs; ye who have warred under the great Tamehameha. Karaimoku and I were born upon the same mountain in this island; we were nourished at the same breast, and our boyish sports were in common, and together we breasted yonder foaming waves. In manhood, we fought side by side. When Karaimoku was wounded, I slew the chief whose spear had pierced him; and though I am now a dried and withered leaf, never be it said that Kaikeoeva deserted his friend and brother in arms in time of need. Who is on Karaimoku's side? Let him launch his war canoe and follow me." This burst of eloquence from so approved a warrior, aroused the chiefs; in an hour all the war canoes in and near Laheina were launched, and bore six hundred men to Taui, in time to join Karaimoku as he marched to attack the fort of Taumuarii.

So beloved is this chief, that as they approached the fort, one of his captains cried out, “ O Karaimoku, you are the chain that binds the seven islands together; remain in safety, I beseech you, and I will lead the warriors on to fight. If your light is extinguished, our land will again be in confusion.'

Karaimoku, however, was not a man to resign to another the post of danger; he led his men to victory, and the insurrection was crushed.

May 7, Lord Byron landed, and had an official interview with the regent Karaimoku, or William Pitt, as he invariably styles himself, as having been the prime minister of Tamehameha. It was a highly interesting scene. Kiaukiauli, the younger brother of Riho Riho, was present, with his sister, and Kahumanu, the high-spirited widow of Tamehameha, and joint regent of the Sandwich Islands during the minority of the young prince. The spectacle was well got up, and every thing passed off to admiration. Speeches were made, the presents were given, and young Kiaukiauli, to his unspeakable delight, was dressed up in the Windsor uniform, with sword, hat, and feather. The landing of the bodies, and the funeral procession, were equally well managed; and the coffins, covered with crimson velvet, with silver gilt ornaments, excited in a very high degree, the admiration of the natives.

Karaimoku was afflicted with dropsy, and, at the suggestion