This ceremony was particularly inconvenient when the water used in the king’s house was carried past; there being none of a good quality near Hanaroora, it was necessary to bring it from the mountains, a distance of five miles. The calabash carriers were obliged, when any person appeared in sight, to call out Noho. They, however, ran past as quick as they could, not to detain his majesty’s subjects in so unpleasant an attitude.
White people were not required to pay these honors, though scrupulously exacted from the natives.
Tamaahmaah was most attentive in performing the duties of religion, and constantly attended the morai on the taboo days, which took place about four times each month. The ceremonies lasted one day and two nights; during which time no person was permitted to pass the bounds of the morai.
When the king was absent on these occasions, I did not experience the same attention as at other times; the attendants became very remiss in providing my dinner, and I was sometimes obliged to go without it altogether.
I accompanied the king once to the morai; but not relishing the confinement, and being unwilling to make complaints, I removed, about the beginning of May, to the house of Isaac Davis, a Welshman, who had been about twenty years upon the island, and remained with him till the king gave me a grant of land about six months afterwards.
Mr. Davis arrived at the Sandwich islands as mate of a small American schooner. The captain, a very young man, having incautiously permitted the natives to go on board, without any restriction, a chief, of the name of Tamahmotoo, observing this, planned her capture. For which purpose a number of natives, under various pretences, crowded into the vessel, and, upon a signal being given, threw the whole crew, five in number, into the sea. Davis, being an excellent swimmer, laid hold of one of the canoes, from which, however, he was beat off by paddles. He swam to another, where the natives also attempted to beat him off; but being a stout, athletic man, he was able to keep his hold. Having no arms, they attempted to put him to death, by holding him under the water, and beating him with their paddles; and also endeavoured to strangle him, by placing his neck across one of the beams of the canoe, and trampling upon him. But by this time the rest of the crew having been destroyed, and the schooner taken possession of, they relented, and ceased to torment him any farther. He was carried ashore blind, and almost lifeless, and it was eighteen months before he recovered his sight. He told me, that, before this time, he had never believed in the existence of a God, and had led a very sinful life; that, upon the near prospect of death, the idea of his offences filled him with terror; and that he tried to repeat the Lord’s Prayer, and felt himself strengthened after doing so.
Tamaahmaah, who was at a distant part of the island, was extremely indignant at Tamahmotoo when he heard of this outrage.
He took the vessel from him for the purpose of restoring her to her owners, and showed the utmost kindness to Davis. Nearly at the same time another Englishman, of the name of Young, was detained upon the island.
These two constantly attached themselves to Tamaahmaah; and, from their knowledge of fire-arms, proved of essential service in the expeditions in which he conquered Mowee, Morotoi, and Wahoo.
They were rewarded, by being raised to the rank of chiefs, and received extensive grants of land.